CAROLINA BEACH — More than two dozen trees will be beautifying Harper Avenue in Carolina Beach after a project received a $7,500 boost.
The project — currently ongoing and scheduled to finish in early 2026 — has its next planting scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 12, in the early afternoon.
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Overseen by the Friends of Carolina Beach Parks and Greenways’ Tree Project, in collaboration with the nonprofit organization and the Cape Fear Garden Club, the project is a three-pronged phase to repopulate Carolina Beach with native trees, lost to development, and focuses on reviving green spaces.
Phase one — planting a pollinator garden — was completed in November. The groups plan to wrap up phases two and three — planting 30 trees in total — in the early part of the new year.
The Cape Fear Garden Club already donated 12 live oaks to the endeavor. Friends of Carolina Beach Parks and Greenways’ Tree Project is seeking donations for the remaining 18 trees.
Friends of CB hosts and raises money for beautification projects in the parks and greenways on the island. The project is led by former CB council member Mike Hoffer, who has been an advocate for the town’s beautification for years.
“Like most people, it saddens me to see mature trees come down in the name of development,” Hoffer said in a press release. “Our best solution to offset this is to continue planting the canopy trees of tomorrow, so that’s what we’re doing.”
Phase one of the project is expanding an 8-foot-by-125-foot wildflower garden by Alabama Avenue to a larger perennial pollinator garden.
The last part of the winter season project will enhance the gardens and nursery along the Island Greenway by Carolina Beach State Park. The project includes implementation of an irrigation system for the plants as well, paid for also by the grant.
The organization is looking for more volunteers to help care for the trees in the first year. Volunteer sign up is located here.
“Planting is the easy part,” Hoffer said in a press release. “Watering the trees for the first year is of paramount importance and it will take a dedicated team.”
Volunteers will join Hoffer and others from the nonprofit organization to water and care for the trees in the first year.
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