Dr. Erich Fruehling, Tom Halstrom, and Leon Van Winkle (from left) participated in a tree planting project Oct. 11 in Central Grand Island. This bur oak was planted streetside on Louise Street just west of Broadwell. (Carol Bryant, Central Nebraska Today)
GRAND ISLAND – A neighborhood group called the Founders’ District organized a tree planting project Oct. 11 in Central Grand Island.
Dr. Erich Fruehling said that 17 trees were planted streetside at 10 homes along Koenig, Charles, and Louise Streets between Broadwell and Blaine Streets.
“This is a neighborhood driven event,” Fruehling said.
The trees were from the Nebraska Forest Service and Arbor Day Foundation. The Founders’ District received 20 trees and gave the three remaining trees to the City of Grand Island.
Fruehling said that multiple groups and individuals were involved in the project. Three Cub Scout Packs; one Boy Scout Troop; Barry Burrows, Grand Island Parks Superintendent; Elizabeth Exstrom, a University of Nebraska Extension educator in Grand Island who is also a licensed arborist; Steve Meyer of Elite Dreamscapes; and members of the Founders’ District participated in the project. Tree planting started at 8:30 a.m. Oct. 11 and was completed by 11 a.m. Oct. 11.
Central Grand Island between Broadwell and Blaine Streets from Anna Street north to Division Street is known for its streetside trees. Koenig Street is well-known for the canopy of streetside hackberry trees that forms a canopy from Broadwell west to Blaine Street.
Fruehling serves on the City of Grand Island Tree Board. Tom Halstrom and some neighbors attended a Tree Board meeting inquiring about getting trees planted in the neighborhood. The city did not have funding available but referred the group to the Nebraska Forest Service and Arbor Day Foundation.
“We got tired of hearing chainsaws,” Fruehling said about the loss of trees as they were cut down in the neighborhood.
The Founders’ District asked for 20 trees and received 20 trees.
Halstrom then walked door-to-door in the neighborhood, stopping at homes that didn’t have streetside trees. Ten homeowners indicated they wanted trees planted in their yards. The most trees were planted on Koenig Street.
Species of trees that were planted were bur oak, red oak, white oak, linden, skyline locust, Princeton elm, front yard linden, and sycamore. The group will reevaluate whether they will plan another tree-planting project in the neighborhood. They estimated that 30 to 40 people participated in the project.
Bomgaars and Home Depot donated mulch and tree stakes. Elite Dreamscapes dug holes Oct. 10 where the trees could be planted.
The group did not replace ash trees with ash trees because of presence of the emerald ash borer in the state.
Freuhling said he would like to get more hackberry trees planted in the neighborhood. He noted that utility lines in the neighborhood are located along alleys, so trees planted along streets are not affected by utility lines.
