Each spring, the Winnebago County Conservation Board encourages people to plant trees and shrubs by offering free seedlings for Arbor Day. This year, the annual Arbor Day Tree Giveaway will be held on Friday, April 29th, from 8:00 AM until 4:30 PM. As in the past, the seedlings will be handed out at the Thorpe Park office, located five miles west of Forest City, on 345th/” I” Street.
This year’s varieties of trees and shrubs are attractive and beneficial to various wildlife species. The species that will be given away this year are Jack Pine, Black Oak, Wild Plum, and Chokecherry. These species are excellent for attracting songbirds, pollinators, and other wildlife, but also provide the same benefits of all trees and shrubs, such as cleaning our air, holding our soil in place, reducing rainwater runoff, and providing shade. Strategically placed around homes, trees and shrubs can also help to reduce the use of air conditioning in the summer and heat in the winter. And, of course, they are aesthetically pleasing, adding beauty to our yards and towns.
Only 25 seedlings of each species will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. As a result, quantities will be limited to one seedling/person. Later in the day, that limit may be waived if it appears that there may be trees left over. The WCCB will keep people posted on how many trees are still available throughout the day on their Facebook page and their Twitter feed. Links to information about each species can be found on the Events page on the Winnebago County Conservation Board web site (www.winnebagoccb.com), but information will also be available at the park, as will instructions about how to plant the seedlings.
For more information about the Arbor Day Tree Giveaway, people can contact Winnebago County Naturalist Lisa Ralls at either 641-565-3390 or at [email protected].
