Grant to bring thousands of trees to Benton County

NWA Democrat Gazette/SPENCER TIREY Kenny Cyr (from right) Santiago Martinez and Brain Quals with Fresh-N-Green plant a new tree on the Wishing Springs Trail, Friday Dec. 2, 2106, in Bentonville.
NWA Democrat Gazette/SPENCER TIREY Kenny Cyr (from right) Santiago Martinez and Brain Quals with Fresh-N-Green plant a new tree on the Wishing Springs Trail, Friday Dec. 2, 2106, in Bentonville.

A burst of green is coming to Benton County courtesy of a tree canopy grant to six cities from the Walton Family Foundation.

The foundation will provide more than 2,000 trees of 50 species to Bella Vista, Bentonville, Centerton, Gravette, Pea Ridge and Siloam Springs. Those cities will then give the trees to their residents during coordinated events during October.

Tree giveaways

Cities will host giveaways for residents to receive smaller trees in 3- to 5-gallon pots on the following dates:

• Bentonville from 8 a.m. to noon Oct. 14 at the Downtown Activity Center, 215 S.W. A St. Residents can register and reserve a tree at http://www.bentonvi…">www.bentonvillear.c….

• Pea Ridge and Gravette on Oct. 21. Time and location not yet provided.

• Centerton on Oct. 27-28 at the Centerton Public Works Building, 11509 Arkansas 72 West.

• Bella Vista from 9 to 11 a.m. Oct. 27 at the Street Department, 2471 Forest Hills Blvd.

• Siloam Springs on Oct. 28. Time and location not yet provided.

Source: Staff report

"Because Northwest Arkansas is one of the fastest-growing areas in the whole country, there has been a lot of loss of the tree canopy. This kind of initiative is working to restore trees on the landscape, and that's a good thing," said Theo Witsell, botanist and ecologist with the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission.

Bella Vista Mayor Peter Christie said his city will have an Arbor Day event Oct. 27, during which 100 trees provided through the grant will be given to local residents.

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"One of the attractions of living here is because we have so many trees," Christie said. "I like to think the air is cleaner here. If you remember science class, trees absorb carbon dioxide and give off oxygen."

The grants totaling nearly $787,000 will allow the six cities to plant large trees near trails, highways, parks, airports, elementary schools, playgrounds, golf courses and other public spaces, according to a foundation news release.

This is the 14th year Bentonville has received trees from the foundation, and 400 trees will be provided this year, Mayor Bob McCaslin said.

"Thousands of trees have been planted that would have otherwise not been done if not for their generosity," McCaslin said.

Bentonville also takes it upon itself to plant trees, each year planting 700 to 1,000 trees along trail systems and roadways.

Centerton will receive more than 200 trees, Mayor Bill Edwards said.

"We have a 'Tree City' designation, and we would just like to beautify the area," Edwards said.

A city becomes a part of the Tree City USA program by meeting four core standards of sound urban forestry management: Maintaining a tree board or department, having a community tree ordinance, spending at least $2 per capita on urban forestry and celebrating Arbor Day, according to www.arborday.org.

Centerton has planted 200 trees already through its own initiative, said Rick Hudson, the city's Parks and Recreation director.

Many of the trees will be planted in McKissic Spring Station Park and along Centerton Boulevard, also known as Arkansas 102, Hudson said.

The cities get to choose which trees they want from the 50 specials made available by the foundation. Centerton chose a variety, including hackberry, eastern redbud and bitternut hickory, Hudson said.

The trees Hudson cited are native trees, which are part of the local ecosystem's foundation, Witsell said.

"Native trees provide habitat and food for native wildlife, both in ways that are obvious -- nesting sites for many birds, mammals, amphibians and even reptiles -- but also in ways that may be less obvious," Witsell said. "For example, diverse forest communities support highly diverse insect communities, which in turn provide food for other animals."

NW News on 10/06/2017

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