Tornado Recovery in Forest Park

Forest Park experienced severe damage from tornadoes that devastated our region on Friday, May 16. Park-wide, over 5,000 trees were damaged, with at least 3,000 lost or requiring removal. Clearing hazards to make the Park safe again has taken a massive effort by teams from the City of St. Louis, Forest Park Forever and contractors.

Repairs to landscapes and paths and replacing decades-old trees will be an expensive, multi-year project for our teams — all while we continue our daily and annual maintenance and care to sustain the Park for 15.5 million annual visitors.

This page includes updates about visiting and helping Forest Park. You can also find resources for community tornado recovery and tree care, along with an image gallery below.

How You Can Help Forest Park

Our team is so grateful for the many offers to volunteer and donate to recovery efforts. The road to recovery is long. but it does not change our mission to partner with the City to restore and maintain this beloved green space for generations to come. Expensive work to clear damaged trees will continue throughout this summer. At the same time, we are making plans for tree replanting and other long-term landscape changes to areas disrupted by the tornado.

Repairing: You can support repairs and Forest Park’s recovery by becoming a member or making a one-time donation.

Volunteering: Visit this page to learn about volunteer opportunities with Forest Park Forever. NOTE: Now that the immediate post-tornado tasks of clearing debris and hazards is largely complete, we are focusing volunteer opportunities on our regular work as well as tasks (watering, mulching, trash pickup) that were deferred while we responded to the emergency.

Connecting: Subscribe to our electronic newsletter to learn about opportunities, on-going recovery efforts and future community gatherings in Forest Park.

Images above show groups of volunteers removing fallen tree debris at multiple locations in Forest Park

Visiting Forest Park

Please continue to use caution when traveling through Forest Park as recovery work continues. For your safety and ours:

  • Give us space by avoiding work areas

  • Resist the urge to inspect damaged areas

  • Do not move along a pathway that has been closed or where crews are active

  • Do not move or remove barriers, cones or signage on or around pathways

The west and north ends were hardest hit, but teams continue to work throughout the Park. Use caution particularly in the following areas, which may have limited access while work continues:

  • Damaged boardwalks in Kennedy Forest and Kennedy Boardwalks

  • Paths and trails along Skinker Boulevard and Lindell Boulevard are cleared, however beware that large tree stumps remain alongside them, in some cases causing damage to the path itself.

  • Cascades waterfall and stairs on Lagoon Drive remains closed

Mulching limbs and felled trees is not taking place in the Park. The City has several mulch and wood chip pick up sites.

Resources for Tornado Recovery & Tree Care

The City of St. Louis has many resources for tornado response and recovery. Find links to get help and find information. Connect with organizations that are giving help and stay updated with the lates news.

 

Disaster Recovery Centers with FEMA Individual Assistance staff are opening in the City of St. Louis to help people affected by the May 16 tornado and storms. Find locations and hours of operation on the City’s website.

 

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) can help you care for trees after a storm.

 

The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) can help you find an arborist and verify credentials.

 

Mulching limbs and felled trees is not taking place onsite in the Park. The City has several pick up sites for mulch and wood chips.

 

The National Weather Service has a report on the EF3 and EF2 tornados that brought winds up to 152 mph and devastated our region on May 16, 2025.

 

Our organization has been working with the City to restore and maintain Forest Park for nearly 40 years. Our Park is different since May 16, and so is our daily work, but our mission is still to sustain Forest Park for the next generation.

Image gallery

Pictures below show damage from the May 16, 2025 tornados at Picnic Island, near the Muny, PICNIC PAVILION 11 IN KENNEDY FOREST, AND A PATHWAY ALONG SKINKER BLVD., from left to right

Pictures below show damage from the May 16, 2025 tornados aROUND THE DENNIS & JUDITH JONES VISITOR & EDUCATION CENTER, RACQUETBALL COURTS, HANDBALL COURTS, SWINGS AND “THE NICK” BASKETBALL COURTS, and variety wonderland playground, from left to right

Pictures below show damage from the May 16, 2025 tornado to the BELOVED WILLOW TREE IN LANGENBERG FIELD, AND MOORE MEADOW NEAR LIBERAL ARTS BRIDGE, and the nathan frank bandstand in pagoda circle (near the muny)

Pictures below show damage from the May 16, 2025 tornados aROUND POST-DISPATCH LAKE, THE EMERSON GRAND BASIN, THE CASCADES, PATHWAYS ALONG LAGOON DRIVE, SHAKESPEARE GLEN, FROM LEFT TO RIGHT