Reid kids plant tree in city park
Cheney begins effort to qualify as Tree City
The city of Cheney is hoping to become a Tree City USA, and to kick off its efforts, Mayor Allan Gainer and students from Kelly Fitzgerald’s fourth-grade class at Reid Elementary School planted a tree in Sutton Park.
The tree-planting ceremony was May 29.
The students made their own posters that said, “Cheney is a Tree City.” They talked to the mayor about why trees are important in a community.
“I really like the posters,” Gainer told the students.
The students said that trees provide shade to cool us off in the summer and provide a home for the local squirrels.
A Tree City award is given to cities for efforts to plan for tree care. There are several requirements to become one. The city must organize a tree board or department, pass a tree care ordinance, organize a community forestry program with a budget of at least $2 per capita and hold an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.
Gainer explained to the students that the tree planted in the park was the first of many trees to be planted in Cheney in the coming months. The city plans to add trees at the north entrance of Cheney and more trees will be planted in downtown.
After the mayor read a proclamation in Sutton Park, he and the students picked up shovels to fill in the hole where the new tree – a golden raindrop crab apple – will live and grow.
Fitzgerald said the students drew their posters in class during a social studies unit that discussed Washington state. They discussed why trees are a healthy part of the community, providing shade, clean air and oxygen.