Dozens of volunteers of all ages came out to plant trees at Dora Kennedy French Immersion School (DKFI) for Greenbelt’s Earth Day celebration on Saturday morning, April 22.
Greenbelt Environmental Coordinator Kevin Carpenter-Driscoll, with assistance from Greenbelt maintenance worker Gustavo Escamilla, demonstrated how to mark out a circle around the new tree in its pot, then break through the sod and dig a deep enough hole. Then take the tree out of its pot, break up the roots and amend the soil with the mulch and compost provided.
Children ran to nearby wheelbarrows to bring back soil for the newly planted trees, while teens and adults plied their strength against the rocky clay soil. Site One Landscape Supply (located in Burtonsville) donated the mulch and compost and gator bags (rings that slowly water new trees).
Mayor Emmett Jordan and Councilmember Ric Gordon; Amy Lahlou, the reading intervention specialist at the school; scouts; students and community members were among the volunteers. Jordan opened the event by reading a proclamation in honor of the 53rd anniversary of Earth Day, in celebration of Greenbelt’s year-round dedication to the environment. According to the proclamation, “Greenbelt is recognized as a Tree City USA by the National Arbor Day Foundation, a Bee City USA by the Xerces Society, a Maryland Smart Energy Community, a Sustainable Maryland Certified Community and an Environmental Protection Agency Green Power Partner.”
Carpenter-Driscoll praised the volunteers for such a successful day. Fifty trees were planted, while “little ones were running around picking up trash,” he said. Native species planted included eastern redbud and serviceberry, American beech, arrowwood
viburnum, azaleas, black cherries, black gum, black haw viburnum, flowering dogwood, ironwood (American hornbeam), pin oaks, red maples, red oaks and sweet bay magnolias.
“The trees were native varieties specifically chosen for the soil and environmental conditions, to replace trees that came down in the July storm, increase biodiversity and beautify the school grounds,” Carpenter-Driscoll said. Four trees donated from Lowe’s included two blue spruces and two Sweet Jim magnolias, and some additional trees were donated by National Geographic to be added to the school’s garden.
