News : Arbor Day: 4-H clubs help Benton County Conservation plant trees

4-H members helped plant trees with the BC Conservation Board on Arbor Day.

Arbor Day weekend is a time for planting trees and three local 4-H Clubs along with Benton County Conservation Staff and volunteers planted 22 trees at Rodgers Park. The North Eden Willing Workers 4-H Club decided to replace some of the trees lost in last summer’s storm at Rodgers Park for their community service project. They received funds to purchase trees and invited two other 4-H Clubs, Harrison Willing Workers and Bruce Boosters, to assist them in the planting.

On Friday, April 27th, Arbor Day, eleven 4-H member team leaders were trained to properly plant trees by Mark Pingenot, Trees Forever Project Manager and Mark Vitosh, District Forester with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The members then lead groups as 35 members, park staff, and volunteers planted the trees on Saturday.

The North Eden Willing Workers purchased the trees through club funds, a donation from East Central Iowa REC, and aTrees for Kids and Trees for Teens Grant funded by Iowa Department of Natural Resources Forestry Bureau, MidAmerican Energy, Black Hills Energy, Alliant Energy, Iowa Bankers Association, Trees Forever, Iowa Tree Farm Committee, and the Iowa Woodland Owners Association.