As the snow fell, Terrific Tree Trimming Thursday came to a close for the season.
Over the last year this group has trimmed over 200 trees along Iron, Montana, Front, Main, and Granite streets. The group consisted of volunteers from the community, Master Gardener, Montana Tech, NorthWestern Energy to name a few.
In each round of tree trimming, spring and fall, we have a raffle. Here are the rules. They are simple. Each participant signs in. When you sign in you are not only entered in the raffle, but each time you attend, your name goes in the hat again and again, giving you more chances to win. At the end of the season all the names are mixed and a winner is drawn.
Last spring we gave away a beautiful hand-turned pine beetle bowl donated by Dan Olsen, a friend of MSU Extension and a Master Gardener. This spring we are giving away a tool that belongs in every pruner’s tool box, a classic wooden-handled pruning knife.
Not only does this tracking add a fun aspect to the program with a raffle, but enables the Urban Forestry Board to count your time toward our year-end total for the Butte-Silver Bow Urban Forestry program. When applying for grant funding, many organizations ask for a match. Because our budget each year is limited, your in-kind donation allows us to find more funds to plant more trees. Your time helps our community forest grow, literally.
Thank you to all that participated in 2014 and we are looking forward to more tree trimming in 2015. This Fall's Terrific Tree Trimming Thursday winner is Kim Morgan. Thank you, Kim, for coming out and helping our urban forest.
-- Kellee Anderson is the MSU Extension Agent serving Butte-Silver Bow County, located at 305 W. Mercury St. Suite 303, Butte; telephone 406-723-0217 or email kellee.anderson@montana.edu Office hours Monday – Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.