The Wellen Park development team and resident volunteers gathered together recently to help make the place they call home a little greener. During the second annual Community Tree Planting Day, volunteers planted hundreds of saplings around the 80-acre Grand Lake in Downtown Wellen. With guidance from landscapers, the volunteers dug holes, added soil enhancers, planted the saplings and watered the new plantings. A mix of black olives, pine trees and green buttonwood was selected to enhance the aesthetic look of Wellen Park, provide shade along the trails, offer habitat to wildlife and increase the state’s pine population. Wellen Park takes an intentional approach to champion sustainability and celebrate its environmental assets. Shady trees branching overhead, healthy lakes shimmering in the sun and lush preserved natural areas are elements that help residents decide to plant roots, and the community has been planned and designed to showcase and protect those features. The new trees are spread amongst existing trees, which include those relocated through Wellen Park’s Heritage Tree Program. The Wellen Park development team relocated more than 25 healthy live oak trees from various locations within the community to Downtown Wellen. The nearly $1-million effort to relocate mature trees not only saved these well-established trees but also helped create an immediate sense of authenticity and scale for Downtown Wellen. Wellen Park’s wellness focus is holistic and practical, designed to give residents greater opportunities to connect with one another, take care of themselves and encourage a healthy and active lifestyle, all within an inclusive, genuine community vibe. To learn more about Downtown Wellen and living at Wellen Park, call 941-960-7805, go to wellenpark.com or visit the Welcome Center at 12275 Mercado Drive in Venice, Fla. The Welcome Center is open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.