The Johnny Appleseed Of Tampa Bay: Man Plants 30,000 Trees And Counting

Get ready to hear the happiest story you've heard all day! A man from Tampa has made it his mission to plant as many trees as possible and has succeeded in planting an impressive 30,000 over the past 40 years. William Moriaty, aka the Johnny Appleseed of Tampa Bay, started off as a tree planting vigilante in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He would secretly plant trees in parks, thoroughfares, and empty lots, and people had no idea where they were coming from. William couldn't help but laugh when he recounted these tales from his younger days. But in 1983, William decided to go legit and form the Tampa Bay Reforestation and Environmental Effort, an organization dedicated to planting trees and promoting environmental awareness. Over the years, the organization has planted a staggering 30,742 trees across 619 locations throughout the Tampa Bay area. And they don't limit themselves to just one type of tree. William and his team have planted 266 different species of trees, including apple trees, Olympian figs, Lady papayas, Florida Prince peaches, and black sapotes. If it's native to the area, they've planted it! Their latest planting occurred on April 13th, when William led volunteers in planting four fruit trees in a vacant lot in St. Petersburg. The property owner, Ramona Brayboy, is turning the lot into the 22nd Street South Community Garden, where locals can grow fruits and vegetables to eat or sell. “We want to address the food insecurity in this area as well as promote local businesses,” Ramona said. William heard of Ramona's plan and offered to have his organization plant the first four trees. The cost was a little over $200, and Jerry Riggers Crane & Tree donated 40 yards of mulch to help with the planting. William's motto is simple: "We plant where there is a need." And he hopes to raise around $2,700 to plant another ten fruit trees in the area. If you're ever in Tampa Bay, keep an eye out for William and his team planting trees. Who knows, you might just end up with an apple tree in your backyard!