Grand Forks celebrates Arbor Day by planting trees

Published May 22, 2012
By Airman 1st Class Zachiah Roberson
319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- Local youth helped create their own legacy by planting three trees on base during an Arbor Day ceremony here on May 21, 2012.

Sharon Bartels, a Community Forestry Specialist with the North Dakota Forest Service, also presented 319th Air Base Wing commander Col. Tim Bush with the base's 19th Tree City USA Award during the ceremony.

Children are the quickest to pick up the benefits from planting trees, Bartels said, and when they are older they can come back and see what they did.

Trees have many benefits that help the environment, such as supplying oxygen and providing shelter.

Maintaining this award for 19 years takes a certain level of devotion in keeping the base Forestry Program actively committed, said Bartels.

"Trees take care of us, so we have to take care of trees," Bush said as the kids gathered for the ceremony.

To be eligible for Tree City USA, the base must have an active forestry department, a natural resource management plan and an annual Arbor Day event must be held.