FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Springfield’s Tree City USA committee received a Tree Resource Improvement and Maintenance (TRIM) grant from the Missouri Department of Conservation to install a Missouri Gravel Bed tree nursery at the City nursery facility at Nathanael Greene Park.
TRIM grants are issued annually to fund many tree-related activities for municipalities and non-profits across the state. The $10,000 grant allotted to Springfield, received in September 2020, allowed Public Works staff to install the new nursery in January 2021.
Springfield Urban Forestry Technician Mike McDaniel says the gravel bed is functioning well and planted trees are thriving.
“Trees planted in a gravel bed nursery grow quickly due to the bed’s unique growing environment,” explains McDaniel. “The bed provides spacing for ample root growth, moisture retention and ensures a greater chance for the tree to survive once transplanted. We are excited to have this resource available to help provide trees to residents and continue to support Springfield’s tree canopy.”
The grant provided all materials to build the gravel bed, purchase the irrigation and the initial purchase of an assortment of Missouri native trees to begin growing in the nursery. Close to 200 trees are expected to grow large enough to be given away to area residents during Arbor Day celebration events in 2022.
“We are grateful to the Missouri Department of Conservation for providing the funds for this project. This partnership between MDC, the City of Springfield and Tree City USA will have a lasting impact on the City and on future generations as these trees grow into maturity,” says Mindy Spitz, chairperson for the Springfield Tree City USA Citizen Advisory Committee. “A society grows great when communities plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.”
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For more information, contact Communication Coordinator Kristen Milam at 573-819-3713 or [email protected].