The long-term collaboration between Mendel University in Brno (MENDELU) and the Nadace Foundation contributes to higher-quality tree planting and subsequent tree care. Arboriculture students participate in the planting of the Alleys of Freedom, provide expert supervision to volunteers, and help save trees that were planted improperly in the past. Together, they have also succeeded in creating the first grant program focused on post-planting tree care in the Czech Republic.
The collaboration between Mendel University and the Nadace Foundation in the area of tree-lined avenue planting dates back to 2020. Their first joint initiative was the planting of the Avenue of Freedom in Šatov near Znojmo. The Foundation had launched the project as early as 2018 to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of Czechoslovakia, though at that time without the participation of experts from the university. Since then, every fall, a new tree-lined avenue consisting of at least 100 trees has been planted with the help of volunteers, local residents, corporate partners, and donors.
The project’s early years showed that good intentions alone are not enough. Trees were often planted without expert guidance, which led to planting errors and, consequently, high mortality rates. “We have been collaborating with the Partnership Foundation for a long time. Our first joint planting took place in 2020, and since then we have been providing expert supervision for the planting of the Alleys of Freedom. Arboriculture students advise volunteers directly in the field on how to plant the trees correctly so that they have the best possible conditions for growth. Thanks to this, we’ve been able to prevent the mistakes we saw in the first avenues planted without expert support,” said Jiří Rozsypálek from the Institute of Forest Protection and Game Management at the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences (LDF) at MENDELU.
Students of arboriculture at the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology (LDF) at MENDELU are also participating in the fall tree-planting events organized by the Partnership Foundation, which involve hundreds of volunteers. They are responsible for providing expert supervision of individual groups and ensuring that proper planting techniques are followed. According to Jiří Rozsypálek, the creation of a new tree-lined avenue—often stretching for kilometers—in just a few hours is a unique experience that also makes a significant contribution to the Czech landscape.
As part of their main spring fieldwork, starting in 2022, students—accompanied by an instructor—will visit one of the planted tree-lined avenues to provide professional care for it. This is done in coordination with the Partnership Foundation, which communicates with the avenue managers and thus has an overview of where problems have arisen and which trees need to be inspected. “In the already planted tree-lined avenues, we check the health of the trees, prune them, adjust the stabilizing elements, and address any issues that have arisen since planting,” Rozsypálek explained.
Proper post-planting care is crucial for trees. In this regard, MENDELU, in collaboration with the Partnership Foundation, has achieved significant success. Thanks to their efforts, a grant program focused on post-planting care was launched in 2024—the first of its kind in the Czech Republic. It is intended primarily for smaller municipalities, which often have the funds to plant trees but not for their subsequent maintenance.
“The program funds up to three years of care for newly planted trees under the expert supervision of an arborist with the appropriate college degree or certification. The project also includes training for technical services staff and others who care for municipal green spaces. The goal is for high-quality care to continue even after the grant support ends. Follow-up care is one of the biggest challenges facing tree planting in the Czech Republic today. The planting itself is only the beginning,” confirmed an experienced arborist and plant pathologist. For the successful establishment of a new planting, the key factors are, above all, the correct selection of species suited to changing climatic conditions, high-quality planting stock, and appropriately sized trees. Experience shows that smaller trees generally establish themselves better in the site than overgrown specimens.
“Care during the first few years after planting is just as important. The foundation is regular and sufficiently abundant watering, which promotes deeper rooting of the trees. Regular arboricultural pruning is also an essential part of the process, as it helps create a stable canopy and prevents future problems in the urban environment,” concluded Jiří Rozsypálek.
The next joint planting of the Avenue of Freedom will take place this fall in Jihlava, where students from the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences at Mendel University will once again provide expert supervision to volunteers and help ensure that the newly planted trees have the best possible conditions for growth.