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CITY, N.D. (Sharon Buhr) – “I think that I shall never see a poem as lovely as a tree…” starts the first line of a poem by famous American poet Joyce Kilmer.  Students at Jefferson Elementary School during the last week of school learned about not only the beauty but all the wonderful benefits of trees.

Each class had the opportunity to observe the planting of a tree at their school.

The Valley City School District teamed up with the city’s Image and Beautification Committee to write a grant to plant 11 trees on the Jefferson School grounds. 

The ND Forestry Service provided $2000 in funds and the Jefferson PTO raised over $900 in matching funds to put in the trees.

Dan Preston of Pine Country Nursery, and his staff, demonstrated to each class the proper way to plant a tree.  The students had studied trees that week and when they were asked the benefits of trees they quickly responded: trees give us oxygen, they give us food (e.g. apples), they give us wood for our houses and pencils, they give us shade and so save energy. 

The trees will be watered and cared for by Jefferson staff using the Forestry Service protocol.   In the fall the students will care for the trees.  A rim of dirt and a plastic mat was put around each tree to protect it from lawn mowers and weed whackers which are the biggest danger for trees in our area.

The varieties planted include Dropmore Linden, Autumn Blaze Maple, Lewis & Clark Elm (a new variety resistant to Dutch elm), Haralred Apple, and Red Baron Apple.

They join a number of mature trees on the grounds, including eight apple trees the students planted a few years ago.