A Spark of Inspiration

What began as a request for three trees ultimately reshaped a prominent corner of Meharry Medical College’s campus. 

When Devin Graham, Policy Analyst and Clinical Coordinator in Meharry’s Physician Assistant Sciences program, first reached out to the Cumberland River Compact’s Urban Waters Division Manager, Jason Sprouls, about planting a few Root Nashville trees, the request seemed straightforward. But when Sprouls visited campus to look at potential planting sites, the conversation quickly expanded. 

Walking across the historic North Nashville campus together, the pair began identifying locations where additional shade trees could thrive. By the end of that initial site visit, the team had mapped out room for 150 new trees across campus—a massive community reforestation project to celebrate Meharry Medical College’s 150th anniversary.

From Concrete to Canopy

During that first campus walk, one location stood out: the concrete plaza in front of Meharry’s School of Dentistry.

While discussing potential tree locations, Meharry’s facilities manager joked that the space would be perfect for trees—if it weren’t covered in concrete. It was hardly ever used as a gathering place for students, and more often than not, it ended up becoming impromptu parking space. These comments led Jason and Devin to ask themselves: What if the pavement didn’t have to stay?

Together they imagined a depave project that transformed the concrete plaza into a living landscape, designed to absorb stormwater and support native plants.

A Groundbreaking Moment at Meharry

A few months later, the depave project officially began with a groundbreaking ceremony that brought together students, faculty, city leaders, and community partners.

The ceremony opened with a blessing from Rev. Robert Hall, Meharry’s campus chaplain. Remarks followed from Dr. Merry Lindsey, Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, and Dr. James E. K. Hildreth, President and CEO of Meharry Medical College. Graham and Sprouls also spoke about their broader vision for improving environmental conditions in North Nashville.

City leadership including Kendra Abkowitz (Senior Director of Sustainability and Resilience for the Mayor’s Office) and Dr. Sanmi Areola (Director of the Metro Public Health Department) also participated in the ceremony.

Together, the speakers framed the project not simply as a landscape improvement, but as a collaborative effort linking education, climate action, and health equity.

Growing the Next Generation of Leaders

After the depave project groundbreaking, students in Meharry Medical College’s Physician Assistant program began the process of campus-wide community reforestation with a volunteer planting effort. They planted 75 native trees over the course of the morning, including Shumard oaks, American sycamores, American yellowwoods, and Osage oranges.

This planting effort served as a hands-on extension of Meharry’s Climate PA-C-T Initiative, which encourages future healthcare providers to understand how climate and environmental conditions influence community health. By participating directly in tree planting and landscape restoration, students learned how interventions like urban canopy expansion and stormwater management can improve air quality, reduce urban heat, and create healthier neighborhoods.

Meharry is a growing leader in the field of environmental health; in early 2026 the campus was recognized by the Arbor Day Foundation as the first Tree Campus Healthcare institution in the state of Tennessee, a designation awarded to healthcare facilities that actively use trees to support community wellness, education, and environmental stewardship.

To celebrate Earth Day, five oak trees were also planted on Dr. D. B. Todd Jr. Boulevard in front of Hulda Margaret Lyttle Hall. Each represents one of Meharry’s academic colleges and symbolizes the institution’s continued growth.

Each tree planted as part of this campus-wide effort contributes to Root Nashville, the citywide campaign to plant 500,000 trees by 2050. The planting palette emphasized climate-resilient native species well suited to Nashville’s urban conditions.

Capturing Stormwater at the Source

Construction was completed on the depave portion of the project in December of 2025. Today, the pavement has been replaced by a bed of native woodland perennials chosen specifically for their ability to thrive beneath a tree canopy. More than five hundred native plants now fill the space, including sedges, ferns, woodland phlox, foamflower relatives, and native iris. Six flowering dogwoods anchor the display and come alive with white blooms each spring.

Depaving the plaza created more than a visual transformation. By replacing 2,050 square feet of concrete with permeable soil and vegetation, the site now functions as a small but powerful piece of green infrastructure. Instead of generating stormwater runoff, the landscape now absorbs water and filters out pollutants before they can enter waterways or storm drains.

Over the course of a year, the site will absorb and infiltrate more than 72,000 gallons of stormwater. This protects the nearby Tiger Bay Wetland– and the Cumberland River beyond– from pollutants like oil, litter, and pesticides that stormwater can carry as it travels over the ground.

How Green Spaces Impact Public Health

Projects like the depave and community reforestation at Meharry don’t just improve a single campus; they set a precedent, and they make the case that greener neighborhoods are within reach.

They’re also an opportunity to explore how environmental conditions shape community health.

Following the project’s groundbreaking, Sprouls was invited to speak in a required public health class for Meharry’s Physician Assistant students. In keeping with the goals of Meharry’s Climate PA-C-T Initiative, he spoke about how environmental conditions such as tree canopy and stormwater management play a direct role in shaping health outcomes in surrounding communities.

Areas with fewer trees and more pavement experience stronger urban heat island effects. In the part of North Nashville where Meharry is located, temperatures average over 10°F hotter than neighborhoods with greater tree canopy, increasing residents’ exposure to heat stress, air pollution, and other health hazards.

Urban greening strategies such as planting trees and depaving can help address these risks by cooling neighborhoods, filtering pollutants from the air, and making streets more walkable & bikable. Studies show that green infrastructure has measurable health benefits including improved cardiovascular and respiratory health, reduced psychological stress, and even better mental health.

Reflecting on the significance of planting trees in historically underserved neighborhoods, Dr. Kara Caruthers noted during the project:

“Planting a tree is inherently a political act. It’s a decision about the kind of environment, and the kind of future we want our communities to have.”

Recognizing the direct connection between trees and community health, NashvilleHealth has served as Board Chair of the Root Nashville campaign, helping guide the initiative’s priorities to align canopy expansion with improved public health outcomes.

The Next Steps in North Nashville

North Nashville has no shortage of underutilized pavement, and the Compact is actively working with property owners, faith communities, and institutions across the area to identify the next opportunity. 

Interested in bringing the depave initiative to your neighborhood?  The Compact offers free consultations for potential sites. Fill out the depave consultation form to start a conversation.