Volunteers from organizations across Jackson grabbed shovels and joined hands for a Museum Trail Community Planting Day, helping to add new trees and landscaping along the Capitol Green Connector. The volunteers, including a large contingent of Entergy employees, gathered on South Street in downtown Jackson to put in some sweat equity into the project as construction continues on the next phase of the trail.

The new plantings will provide future shade, support native habitat, improve stormwater management, and create a more welcoming environment for people walking and biking along the corridor. The event demonstrated the important role community volunteers can play in shaping public spaces and helping projects move forward.

The Capitol Green Connector will extend the Museum Trail through the heart of downtown Jackson, creating a new pedestrian and bicycle route connecting the Old Capitol Museum, Hal & Mal’s and Martins, the Two Mississippi Museums, and other nearby destinations. This segment is an important link in the larger trail network and is planned to eventually connect with the future Arts District Connector, expanding safe, accessible movement between downtown neighborhoods, cultural institutions, businesses, and public spaces.

Entergy Mississippi’s Environmental Initiatives Fund provided a grant to support the project. Other organizations supporting the project include the Capitol Complex Improvement District, the Mississippi Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund, and the Community Foundation for Mississippi through Jackson Heart Foundation. SoHo Landscaping prepared the soil, plants and mulch ahead of the event, which made the planting day possible and enabled the volunteers to get right to work.

As the connector moves closer to completion, Jackson Heart Foundation continues working to expand the Museum Trail, improve access to alternative transportation infrastructure, and create healthier, greener connections throughout the city.