Earth Team Volunteers Help Donate Trees 

As part of a nearly decade-old Earth Day tradition, Humboldt, Iowa, NRCS secretary Terri Christensen hands out tree seedlings and explains the environmental benefits they provide.  Representing NRCS, the Humboldt Soil and Water Conservation District, and Humboldt County, Terri, with help from NRCS Earth Team volunteers Mitch Williams, Cory Shillington and Jon Pedersen provided a tree to every fourth-grader in Humboldt County this year.

The 17-year-old juniors at Humboldt Senior High School have been working as Earth Team volunteers as part of an environmental studies class.  They helped Terry explain best place to plant and maintain the red maples before handing out the 135 trees to students across Humboldt County.  “I think the fourth-graders appreciated having a younger face in the room presenting them these trees, instead of just an NRCS figure,” said Christensen.

Pedersen received a tree from Christensen when he was in fourth grade. “I remember receiving a maple tree from Terri seven years ago,” said Pedersen. “My family and I planted it at my grandma’s house. It’s neat that I'm now the one presenting a tree.”

Christensen plans to keep the Earth Day tradition going. “I think trees provide so many wonderful benefits,” she said. “I really enjoy the trees in my yard.  They attract a lot of different types of birds.  I think planting a tree is a really good thing.”

The trees were paid for by the Humboldt Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD).
Your contact is Jason Johnson, NRCS public affairs specialist at 515-323-2701.