BUTTE - They are planting trees here in Butte at East Middle School as part of Arbor Day ... yes, a few months late, and these trees are not only pretty to look at, but they also serve a really important purpose.
“All of them are here because they help the air and our environment, and they help the community,” East Middle School student Destiny Perez said.
WATCH: Butte students are planting the future — one tree at a time
Students at East Middle School helped plant four trees on the school grounds. Butte’s Urban Forester hopes to plant more than 100 trees around Butte this summer with the help of Department of Natural Resources funding.
Having more trees in Butte is important because it’s the headwaters of the Clark Fork River Basin.
“Trees are one of the best natural filters for water; they store carbon, lead, heavy metals, all that kind of stuff, so Butte and trees are a perfect match,” Butte Urban Forester Trevor Peterson said.
Butte has made significant progress since the urban forestry program began.
“I’ve planted probably nearly 400 trees with Trevor over the years, so we’ve done a lot of improvements throughout our parks. It’s been a great time,” Urban Forester worker Kennadie McMahon said.
The students were proud of their work that day. What do you think, years from now, when you go by, and those trees will be up?
“I’ll be like, ‘I planted one of them, or helped plant one of them’,” Student Korrin Johnson said.
