🍂 Community Spotlight: Coastal Mowing and Tree 🍂

Have you ever heard the phrase, “Mulching a planting bed is like frosting a cake”? No? That’s probably because it’s something we made up – but it still feels true.

Mulching is one of the final steps in creating a Miyawaki forest. It helps lock moisture into the soil, jump-starts the process of building fertility, and gives the entire planting bed a clean, finished look. An added bonus: it’s a step that almost anyone can participate in, from young children to those who might need a little assistance. And on the Sgt. Elio Diaz Memorial Forest planting day, volunteers put their own creative spin on the task.

Once we realized we’d need to mulch more than 3,500 square feet with a 3–4 inch layer, we turned to our trusted local mulch source: Coastal Mowing and Tree. They’ve been delivering mulch to Hope for years – all locally sourced, all diverted from the Charlotte County landfill, and all with a deep sense of care for our shared environment.

Their team made sure we had everything we needed for planting day, even with their packed schedule. Thanks to them, our memorial forest received its final layer of “frosting,” tying together the hard work of dozens of volunteers into a beautiful, living tribute.

Please join us in thanking Coastal Mowing and Tree for supporting the Sgt. Diaz Memorial Forest. Their contribution helped bring this space to life – one wheelbarrow of mulch at a time.