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CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) A total of 40 trees including Black Hills Spruce, Autumn Blaze Maple, Glenleven Linden, 17 Diablo Nine Bark and Sheyenne Amur Maple shrubs now grace 13th avenue southeast in Valley City this spring thanks to the local Boy Scouts, community volunteers and the Valley City Area Chamber of Commerce Image and Beautification Committee.
The landscape contractor, Dan Preston, Pine Country Nursery gave a tree planting demonstration to the Boy Scouts and community volunteers before the planting.
Local Boy Scout Ryan Brock used the planting service project to attain his Eagle Scout rank. He assisted with drafting quote documents, reviewed price quotes, inspected trees, completed one call locates and staking the preliminary plantings.
During the planting project Brock presented a safety demonstration to his fellow scouts and community volunteers after which the Boy Scouts under his leadership staked, pruned, installed tree protectors, placed soil ridges for watering and mulched the trees and shrubs.
Above photo. Far left Eagle Scout Ryan Brock and other Boy Scouts help plant trees.
The planting project received a $7,763 America the Beautiful Grant from the ND Forest Service awarded to the City of Valley City which was matched with $8,606.74 cash from the City of Valley City and in-kind donations of $1,600 for material, equipment and labor donated by Pine Country Nursery.
In addition to the planting project Brock organized weeding and re-mulching of tree plantings along 5th avenue northeast, 6th street northeast and 7th street southeast.
Chairman of the Image and Beautification Committee Bobby Koepplin says, “thanks to the North Dakota Forest Service and Ryan Brock for making a difference and enhancing 13th Avenue for years to come.”
Koepplin added that the North Dakota Forest Service also approved of a $2,000 Community Family Forest grant for planting 11 trees at Jefferson School and a $4,621 America the Beautiful grant to Valley City Parks and Recreation for planting 29 trees and shrubs along Viking Drive within the next few months.