By Priscilla Martin

In a prime example of making an impact, on October 9, 2011, members from the North Central 4-H Club and the 4-H Country Kids Club, their parents, volunteer leaders and local Master Gardeners showed up at the new Montcalm County 4-H Fairgrounds. There, they spent the day planting, mulching and watering 88 trees (including maple, pine, oak, redbud, lilac and spruce) around the livestock buildings and pavilion.

Since the new fairgrounds are located on a 58-acre open soy/cornfield, the first year at that location was hot, noisy and dusty. The answer was to plant trees as part of the fairgrounds master plan because trees can keep noise down, control erosion and odors, provide visual screen shade cooling, enhance the multiuse plan for the property and beautify the grounds.

So, under the guidance of one of the group’s volunteer leaders (an employee of the USDA Soil Conservation Service), the clubs:

• Secured a $2,000 Go Green Youth Challenge grant from the Michigan Arbor Day Alliance to fund the project.
• Organized the planting project (which they hope will be the first annual planting in the fairgrounds’ 3-year construction and development phases)
• Committed to care for the trees over the first year.

For more pictures, go to the Facebook page for this project.