Ames Tree Planting

Upcoming Events

Ames Tree Planting

09/28/2019 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Ames, Iowa
The Ames Foundation
515-233-5904

The Ames Foundation would like to invite you to participate once again in replanting Ames through the Ames Community Tree Program. In 2015, The Ames Foundation entered into a multi-year partnership with the City of Ames to help raise money for, and physically volunteer in the replanting of, trees that will be lost to the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). This effort culminated in the first community-wide tree planting days in 2016. Since then, volunteers have helped plant over 1,000 trees.

Unfortunately, efforts like these to reforest Ames are necessary, because ash trees in Ames may be a dying breed thanks to EAB. This invasive species continues to destroy ash trees across the nation, and lessons learned in other parts of the country demonstrate that, without costly ongoing treatment, EAB will significantly reduce the number of ash trees in our community within a decade. EAB has been identified in Story County, which means the demise of our ash population is imminent in our community. 
We have thousands of trees here in Ames, which improve our community by improving water quality through filtration and erosion control, provide temperature control and wind breaks, and support wildlife habitat necessary for biodiversity. Trees have also been shown to increase property values, reduce crime, and improve mental health. There were approximately 2,300 ash trees located on City managed property, making up about 16 percent of all public trees in Ames. These numbers are dwindling as the City of Ames has implemented the EAB Response Plan, wherein the City removes a select number of ash trees preemptively.

The Ames Foundation asks the public to join it in replanting the areas of the City where ash trees have been removed. The Ames Foundation’s fallplanting is planned for Saturday, September 28. Any interested volunteers who would like to help plant should meet at Christofferson Park (2130 Oakwood Road) at 8:30 a.m. and participate in a brief planting demonstration at 8:45 a.m. Volunteers will work in teams under the direction of a supervisor.

To volunteer, please sign up using the link below:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/409084fa9ac238-ames2

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