Our History
Southside ReLeaf is celebrating seven years of community-driven greening work in South Richmond!
Seven years ago, our co-founders Sheri Shannon and Amy Wentz participated in the Richmond 300 master planning process as working group members — one focused on economic development, the other on environmental issues. As part of that work, they reviewed an Insights Report detailing conditions across the city’s nine districts, including housing, economic security, and education.
They were disheartened and outraged to see the Southside ranked last in nearly every category. As residents, it was deeply personal — especially learning that life expectancy in South Richmond can be up to 20 years shorter, and that many neighbors lack access to a park or playground within a 10-minute walk. These inequities are the result of decades of disinvestment, racist policies, and inequitable public funding.
That realization led Sheri and Amy to create Southside ReLeaf — an environmental justice organization dedicated to improving quality of life in South Richmond through greening, education, and advocacy. Since our founding in 2019, we’ve grown from a small grassroots effort into a recognized nonprofit across Virginia. Below, we share a timeline of our journey so far — and invite you to help us write the next chapter.
Timeline of Growth
Fall 2019
We hosted our first tree planting at Blackwell Elementary School. More than 30 volunteers, Blackwell residents and school administrators — including the principal — joined us in planting 10 native trees provided by the Richmond Tree Stewards.
Fall 2020
Thanks in part to our advocacy, the City of Richmond announced the creation of five new green spaces in communities of color in South Richmond, the first since the 1970s.
Spring 2021
Southside ReLeaf served as the environmental justice representative for the Virginia Tree Conservation Workgroup, which was commissioned by the General Assembly and provided recommendations to the Secretaries of Agriculture and Forestry and Natural Resources.
Summer 2021
After receiving fiscal sponsorship under the Enrichmond Foundation, Southside ReLeaf became an official 501(c)(3) organization. Our all-volunteer team handed out free trees at the Hammers and Ale’s event on Brown’s Island.
Fall 2021
The organization was featured on PBS’s Virginia Home Grown, highlighting our efforts to plant trees and empower the community through volunteerism, education, and advocacy.
Spring 2022
Southside ReLeaf was invited to present its work at the Choose Clean Water Coalition alongside the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, one of a dozen presentations and panel discussions the organization participated in that year.
Fall 2022
We planted 60 street trees in the Davee Gardens neighborhood. This was our first planting with the goal of reducing flooding and generating more long-term green infrastructure improvements.
Winter 2022
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation awarded the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Southside ReLeaf with a grant to install green upgrades at Blackwell Park, including a permeable parking lot, walking trails, and pollinator gardens.
Spring 2023
We hired our first paid staff members to provide support for programs and community reach. We also worked alongside community members to reverse the city’s decision to build a burn tower at Hickory Hill Community Center, which would have paved two acres of green space in a predominantly Black and Latino neighborhood.
Fall 2023
In partnership with the City of Richmond, Southside ReLeaf was one of the awardees of a $6 million grant for the city. This five-year initiative, Cool the City, aims to equip community members with the tools, knowledge, and support to take action to reduce extreme heat and flooding.
Spring 2024
We joined the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to convene neighbors, faith-based community partners, and City officials at Bellemeade Park for a discussion on greening and advocacy in Richmond’s faith communities at our first Outdoor Learning Classroom.
Summer 2024
Southside ReLeaf breaks ground on the first of five new city parks in South Richmond with funding from the Virginia Department of Forestry. The new park along Ernest Road will ecologically restore more than 60,000 square feet of urban forest and empower neighbors to become long-term stewards of the park.
Spring 2025
We launched “Go with the Flow” in partnership with the University of Richmond. This community science project empowered Richmonders to report flooding in their neighborhoods, providing UR with data to refine a neighborhood-level flood map. The map will help advocacy efforts to steer infrastructure investments where they are most needed.
Summer 2025
Our first two cohorts of Tree Ambassador trainees graduated from our Tree Ambassador Program, empowered with the knowledge and skills to advocate for young trees and support greener neighborhoods across the Southside.
Fall 2025
Southside ReLeaf and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation hosted the inaugural “Growing Together: From Roots to Roofs” summit with Virginia’s legislators, environmental leaders, urban planners, and housing advocates to develop a unified vision that supports affordable housing, tree preservation, and equitable urban development.
