Coolidge Students Plant Trees for Arbor Day

By, Crystal A. Proxmire

Arbor Day is a tradition of tree-planting that began in 1854 when J. Sterling Morton moved from Detroit to Nebraska and noticed that there weren’t nearly as many trees there.  The contentious Michigander began planting trees in his new home state, and the idea caught on.  Now the last Friday in April is known as Arbor Day, and people far and wide plant trees for the benefit of the earth and their communities.

For the past eight years, The City of Ferndale has been designated a Tree City USA, and new trees have been planted in the special Arbor Day Forest in Oppenheim Memorial Park, with the help of youngsters from the Ferndale Schools.  On April 30, 2010 Mrs. Lea Kearney and her fifth grade class met up with Community Arborist Brian Cooley, members of the Department of Public Works [DPW], members of the Ferndale Beautification Commission and the Ferndale Environmental Sustainability Commission, Ferndale Fire Chief Roger Schmidt reporters and supportive neighbors to add two more trees to the collection.

This year they planted a Yellow Bird Magnolia and a Black Gum tree.  Last year, thanks to a special grant, they were able to plant four trees, one of which was a $900 Liberty Elm. 

Cooley taught the students how to properly plant the trees.  They eagerly took turns with the shovels, dug holes for roots, and helped position the plants in place.  Cooley cut the burlap while the kids helped tear it away. They filled in dirt around the roots and stomped it down with their feet, and the DPW guys wrapped up with the watering while the kids went back to school.