GOSHEN, Ind. – Everence Financial® is devoting three areas on its corporate headquarters property to growing trees, shrubs and native grasses.
About 170 trees were planted in early June north and south of the headquarters building at 1110 N. Main St. Varieties include hickory, redbud, oak, black gum, sugar maple, tulip poplar and dogwood.
Everence has been committed to sound environmental stewardship for many years, said Chad Horning, Senior Vice President. Those efforts include its LEED-certified headquarters building, landscaping that emphasizes native plant growth and rainwater retention, and a focus on recycling and conservation, he said.
Everence is partnering with the City of Goshen, Mennonite Men, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, and Earth Source Inc./Heartland Restoration Services on the project.
“The plan that has evolved here to shift unused space toward native planting, including trees, is a really welcome development from the city’s perspective,” said Aaron Sawatsky-Kingsley, Goshen’s City Forester. “We’re excited to partner with Everence on this project.”
The city has launched an aggressive plan to double Goshen’s tree canopy – the amount of shade covering the city – by 2045, noted Sawatsky-Kingsley. And Mennonite Men is overseeing a JoinTrees program that calls for planting 1 million trees by 2030.
“With its comprehensive planting of native trees, shrubs and prairie plants, Everence models how to better care for God’s good Earth with more climate-friendly bioscaping than conventional landscape practices,” said Steve Thomas, Director of Mennonite Men and certified arborist.