Replanting efforts begin in New Rockford

The storm that devastated the City of New Rockford was nearly three years ago – July 8, 2018. As a testament to the community's determination to rebound and rebuild, New Rockford was host to the State Arbor Day event in May, 2019, a "celebration of recovery and resiliency." Hundreds of saplings were distributed to residents as part of the Arbor Day Foundation's Storm Tree Recovery program, to encourage residents to replant around their homes. Now, the city is implementing a grant project to begin re-greening the streets.

New Rockford received a Community Family Forest grant from the N.D. Forest Service, enabling the city to plant trees in an Adopt-a-Tree fashion. Property owners signed up for the program in 2019, and the grant was awarded with plans to plant in 2020. The simple plan was challenged by the pandemic and put on hold until this spring. Now, there is evidence across town of the dozens of new trees, planted street-side by property owners. Where boulevards are wide enough to support trees, the trees are being planted. The best-case scenario for tree planting are yards with no sidewalks, where the trees can be set back from the street to avoid conflicts with large equipment like snow plows, and where the trees have plenty of room to grow. Homeowners who participate in the program are responsible for planting the tree, mulching it and watering it once a week or as needed.

One resident who was quick to adopt a tree is Marlo Byberg, former long-time educator at New Rockford-Sheyenne School. Marlo has been a proponent of planting trees for years and was instrumental in creating the OWLS garden at the school, an effort which helped him earn the 1998 Forest Resources Educator award from the North Dakota Forest Service. Marlo planted a new "Fall Fiesta" sugar maple he received from the program in his front yard. On a recent visit to his home, he pointed to another tree, a linden that was planted years ago.

"With a little bit of work, this small tree will grow to be that size one day," he said. Marlo noted that the linden survived the 2018 storm, but is recovering from a bit of a lean caused by the ferocious winds. Now, the tree is beginning to straighten itself. "Nature has a way of making things right, if we help it along," he said.

The City of New Rockford acknowledges the assistance of Eddy County Soil Conservation District employees, who helped the tree board distribute trees to residents who participated in the project.

The city has submitted another grant application for funding to continue planting along the streets. If the grant is awarded, watch for another opportunity to "Adopt-a-Tree" in 2022.