ReTree the Capitol

On Friday September 27, 2013 at 9:30 a.m. ReTree Nebraska honorary chair First Lady Sally Ganem will join Nebraska Forest Service, Nebraska Statewide Arboretum, Nebraska Environmental Trust and Office of the Capitol Commission staff and plant a Shummard Oak tree on the grounds of the Nebraska State Capitol in celebration of ReTree Nebraska Week.  ReTree Nebraska is a cooperative effort between the Nebraska Forest Service, the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum, Inc., Nebraska Community Forestry Council, the University of Nebraska Department of Agronomy and Horticulture and the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources with the goal of properly planting 1 million trees in Nebraska’s towns and cities by 2017. The tree planting on the Capitol grounds will showcase proper planting techniques and those in attendance will receive a tree planting guide produced by the ReTree partners. To celebrate ReTree Week 2013, September 22-28, the ReTree partners joined forces with the Nebraska Environmental Trust and the Nebraska Community Forestry Council and are promoting the fall planting of a broader diversity of native and well- adapted trees. The four trees being planted on the east lawn of the Capitol, a Nebraska Statewide Arboretum Landmark Site, will count toward the ambitious goal of planting 1 million trees in Nebraska’s community forests. The two elms, maple and oak tree being planted are part of the ReTree Fall Planting Grant funded by the Nebraska Environmental Trust. These trees will replace trees lost to the Capitol Exterior Masonry Project and to old age.  Urban trees may not live as long as trees in natural forests and need to be replanted to maintain the benefits of the community forest. Mrs. Ganem explains the purpose of the ReTree efforts,  “Trees provide important benefits to Nebraska communities, some benefits of trees we can see, some we can’t. All of them carry forward to benefit future generations of Nebraskans. Our investment today will pay dividends in the future.”