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CITY, ND – (NewsDakota.com) Fifty-five evergreens and six shrubs were recently planted at Hanna Field in Valley City.  Valley City Public Schools partnered with the Valley City Beautification Committee to write a grant and complete the planting.

The trees were planted around the perimeter of the football field to act as a windbreak, and to hold water for better maintenance of the field.

Sharon Buhr, Valley City Beautification Committee member and Martin Bratrud, Valley City High School Activities Director, led the project.  Buhr wrote the grant which came from the North Dakota Forest Service.

The America the Beautiful grant that the school received is a cost share grant, with approximately $10,000 provided by the Forest Service and a comparable match by the school.  A huge majority of the match funds are coming from volunteer time via planting and caring for the trees over the first year.

The Hi Liner football team volunteered to do all the mulching of the trees.  In addition the entire team was able to learn about the value of planting, and the enormous benefits trees provide us. 

Buhr said, “Our hope is that this project will not only benefit Hanna Field today, but that it will plant a seed in the minds of these young football players, and that one day they will plant trees wherever they live.”

Bratrud said that the trees can be enjoyed by community members at other times besides football games, being the track is available for the community to use for exercise in order to stay healthy.