Submitted by Debby Walters, BBBGC
WOODVILLE, WI – Preparations are underway for this year’s Arbor Day tree planting in Woodville to create a more woodsy Village.
The Woodville Lions Club, Botany Belles and Beaus Garden Club (BBBGC), and the Village of Woodville are working together to replace and add trees to the public spaces in Woodville.
Are you wondering why this is necessary? Many of the trees in Woodville’s parks and along its streets are ash trees. The Emerald Ash Borer insect is in the area and is killing off ash trees much like Dutch Elm Disease did in the 1970s.
There are 20 ash trees in Southside Park alone, so the sooner new trees are put in place the better. Besides that, trees clean the air, provide oxygen, cool the air, provide shelter and food for critters, and prevent runoff and erosion.
A variety of native trees will be ordered. A variety, because if a new insect pest or disease comes through, not all the trees will be lost. Some St. Croix Elms will be planted. This is a variety of elm that is cloned from an elm tree in Afton, Minnesota, that never succumbed to Dutch Elm Disease so hopefully beautiful elms can be reestablished.
The Woodville Lions Club made a generous donation to the project and individuals have contributed also. If you would like to help with this project, contributions can be sent to Ruth Anderson, Botany Belles and Beaus, 240 Willow Ct., Baldwin, WI 54002 by the end of March for this year’s event.
Bare root trees are ordered since they are generally 40% cheaper than those in pots and are easier to plant.
If you or an organization you belong to are interested in planting trees on Arbor Day, Friday April 26 or the Saturday, April 27, 2024, contact Debby Walters (715-222-0021) or Mary Saunders (651-592-3091) with any questions you might have.
