ARBOR DAY IS, AGAIN, A BIG SUCCESS
Margaret Davis and Chris Hill giving away a hop tree.
By LYNN ARTZ Special to The Sun
For the nineteenth year in a row, the Crawfordville Arbor Day team gave free trees to local residents to celebrate Florida Arbor Day. Nearly 1,000 young trees found homes at Saturday’s drive-through giveaway outside the County Extension.
The Florida Forest Service provided red cedars and sweetbay magnolias, and the assistance of Emily Martin and Billy Godwin.
The Wakulla County Garden Club gave away more than nine species of native trees including red maple, arrowwood viburnum, dahoon holly, parsley haw, and sand live oak.
The garden club obtained their trees as bareroot seedlings through the National Wildlife Federation’s Trees for Wildlife Program. The baby trees were planted in pots last February and tended for a year.
Hundreds of families waited patiently in the vehicle line to place their order and obtain two free trees in pots. Knowledgeable volunteers helped people choose trees and learn how to plant and care for them. Jeannie Brodhead, Michelle Hackmeyer, Khadejah Scott, and Betsy Smith were this year’s designated tree advisors. WCSO Lt. Jeffrey Yarbrough effectively managed traffic.
Claudia Farren, with the Florida Wildlife Federation, encourages tree recipients to plant their trees as soon as possible and to follow the planting instructions they received. “Plant your trees level with the ground in a wide hole,” she said. “Water them often for the first year.”
The many volunteers who worked hard to make the event successful included John & Colleen Alcorn, Dianne Amburn, Logan Austreng, Karen Burgos, Diane Binder, Madeleine Carr, Tess, Jack & Joey Coetzee, Rue & Russell Collins, James & Vicki Cooper, Mary Cortese, Margaret Davis, Erin Fortier, Mary Driscoll, Karl & Caden Gruebel, Beth Hakemoller, Diana & Dave Hardee, Wendy Harley, Samiri Hernandez-Hiraldo, Commissioner Chuck Hess, Chris Hill, Diane Hines, Jenny Lorch, Julia Miner, Tonia Murray, Pam Pafford, Judy Reist, Betsy Rudden, and Marty Quinn. Many are members of the Wakulla County Garden Club, the Sarracenia Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society, Keep Wakulla County Beautiful, or Master Gardeners.
“We’ve already ordered the trees that we will give away next year,” said Lynn Artz. “Soon we will start putting them into pots,” said Jeannie Brodhead.
Arbor Day is a nationally celebrated observance that encourages tree planting and care. Florida’s Arbor Day is the third Friday in January.