The Link

10/9/2012
TREES FOREVER

Council Bluffs Tree Group to Celebrate 20th Anniversary with Tree Planting Event

Trees Forever & Black Hills Energy to Recognize Local Group’s Efforts

WHAT: Council Bluffs Trees Forever 20th Anniversary Tree Planting Event Railroad Avenue Pedestrian trail – Phase 1

WHEN: Wednesday, October 10 starting at 3:00 P.M.

WHERE: K-Mart parking lot, East Kanesville Blvd. & Railroad Avenue SW, Council Bluffs, IA

WHO: Mark Shoemaker, President, Council Bluffs Trees Forever, Shannon Ramsay, Founding President of statewide Trees Forever, Denise Montgomery, Black Hills Energy representative, Representatives from the City of Council Bluffs, Brad Riphagen, Trees Forever Field Coordinator, Council Bluffs Trees Forever Members and Volunteers

Council Bluffs, IA (October 9, 2012) – Members of the Council Bluffs Trees Forever group will be celebrating their 20th Anniversary with a special ceremony and tree planting event on Wednesday, October 10, starting at 3:00 P.M. The group will gather at the K-Mart parking lot on Railroad Avenue SW to kick-off the event. The public is invited to attend this special ceremony.

About a dozen trees will be planted as part of a larger, 68-tree planting project planned for this fall along the Railroad Avenue pedestrian trail. Representatives from Council Bluffs Trees Forever, the statewide Trees Forever organization, Black Hills Energy, and the City of Council Bluffs will be on hand to recognize the local Trees Forever group’s two decades of community improvement through tree planting projects.

Black Hills Energy has supported the local tree planting efforts over the last 20 years through their Power of Trees program. The Power of Trees program provides funding and assistance to communities in Black Hills Energy’s Iowa service territory for tree planting projects. Black Hills employees also regularly volunteer for various tree planting projects locally. Trees Forever administers the Power of Trees program statewide, and provides technical and planning support to assist local communities with their tree planting needs and projects.

Over the past 20 years, the Black Hills Energy and Trees Forever Power of Trees program has provided over $86,500 in grant funding for tree projects in Council Bluffs. An additional $432,324 has been donated by local sources to support these tree planting projects over the last two decades. More than 9,680 trees have been planted in the community through this program, with the help of over1,260 Council Bluffs Trees Forever members and community volunteers who have given over 11,000 hours in volunteer service to plant and care for the trees.

By planting the right trees in the right places, homeowners and the city can enjoy maximum benefits from the trees for many years to come. Trees reduce energy costs and peak demand, enhance property values, reduce storm water runoff, and remove pollutants and carbon dioxide from the air. Trees also provide many other long-term health, economic, social and environmental benefits to the community.

The 9,682 trees planted over the past two decades in Council Bluffs through the Power of Trees program will collectively save about 15 million kBtu of heating energy, on average, per year. That equates to over $146,000 in energy savings per year for homeowners, local businesses and public facilities. These trees also remove about 2,100 tons of carbon dioxide from the air each year. In addition, over 10 million gallons of rainwater are intercepted each year by these trees.

For more information on the October 10 anniversary tree-planting event, please contact Trees Forever Field Coordinator Brad Riphagen at (515) 370-1291. Additional information on the Power of Trees program and about Trees Forever can be found online at www.treesforever.org.

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Trees Forever is a nonprofit organization based in Marion, IA committed to planting trees, encouraging community involvement and stewardship, and caring for the environment. Programs focus on improving air and water quality, increasing wildlife habitat, providing substantial energy savings and beautifying our landscape. For more information visit www.treesforever.org or call 800-369-1269.

(Contact: Mark Signs, 319-325-7750, MSigns@TreesForever.org)