Arbor Day planting featured at Veterans Memorial Park, in Beatrice

BEATRICE – Two trees were planted on Arbor Day at the Veteran’s Memorial Park in south Beatrice.  A planting was jointly sponsored by the City of Beatrice Public Properties Department, Keep Beatrice Beautiful and the Lower Big Blue Natural Resources District….and attended by local veterans.

The trees will grow on the south lawn area of the park. Mayor Bob Morgan says trees carry a lot of benefits….things like shade, energy savings, beautification, slowing erosion and runoff and providing habitat for wildlife.

"The City of Beatrice has been designated a Tree City, I believe, for 35 years. Hats off to Keep Beatrice Beautiful and Jerry (Bucy). One of the persons that's always been a part of planting trees for a number of years is Mark Pethoud....I want to thank you, as well."

The program is part of a larger state-wide effort to plant trees in all of Nebraska’s 93 Counties. Tammy Partsch of Nebraska City Tourism and Commerce said that project is nearly a third of the way toward completion.

"We planted the first tree September 20th of last fall. It was a Burr Oak at the courthouse lawn in Morrill County, which is Bridgeport. So far, today is number 26....so out of 93, that's 67 left, after today. I don't know if we'll get done this year, I really want to. We've planted at courthouses, a cemetery, UNL Extension offices, county fairgrounds, schools, an arboretum in Saline County, right next door...and city parks like this one, right here. We've planted Burr Oaks, Lindens, Maples, Catalpas, a Hackberry, a Bald Cypress and an Osage Orange. Working with Adam and the rest of the Lower Big Blue NRD folks has been fantastic. They help us figure out great places in the counties to plant the trees....and the right kind of trees to plant."

Those attending signed a ceremonial shovel….marking the planting of trees at Veteran’s Memorial Park. Photos of various tree planting events across the state will be included on a map.