Annual tree planting event again impacted by COVID-19

In recognition of Arbor Day and to celebrate Havre being a part of Tree City USA for 31 years, the City of Havre Parks and Recreation Department hosted its annual tree planting event Wednesday at Pepin Park.

Tree City USA is a program that was designed to teach communities how to plant trees and how to build their forests in their cities.

Havre Parks and Recreation Director Chris Inman said she thought the event was an overall success. However, due to the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic, the event took place without the participation of local second grade students for the second year in a row.

Inman told Havre Daily News at last year's event that, typically, the second graders would plant their trees in milk jugs, grow them, plant them and then it was their choice, once the trees got big enough, if they wanted to donate them back to the city.

"It's just unfortunate that we can't meet and greet the kids and, and give them a little education about trees and how to grow trees and how to water them and take care of them and how to replant them," Inman said today. "You know, because we want to eventually get all those trees back into our community, back into our forest. Trees are a huge part of our world, obviously, and we'd like to educate those young kids on trees and how to take care of them."

Student participation was removed from the event in order to limit the number of people gathered, keeping in line with COVID-19 precautions.

"We had to social distance and do all that. We just felt that we didn't have the capabilities of doing that again, as well, because it's not only the second graders from our town, but you know, Rocky Boy comes in and Box Elder and the Hi-Line, all the surrounding schools come in with a huge event at Pepin Park that we do every year," Inman said.

In light of not having this element of this event, an alternative plan was made.

"We had members from the Coca-Cola company show up and the Turf Committee, and our parks department was there, and we planted the tree and everybody gave a helping hand, and it was great," Inman said