Earth Team Volunteers Help Complete WHIP Tree Planting Project

Two Earth Team volunteer groups combined efforts to plant 225 shrubs and trees on Lucille Keller’s property in southeast Wibaux County, Montana. The tree planting is part of a wildlife project planned by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

Both the Wibaux High School environmental science class and the Wibaux FFA chapter signed up as NRCS Earth Team volunteers to help put conservation on the ground. The two volunteer groups included a total of 19 students and two teachers.

Early on April 23, 2004, the Wibaux Conservation District and Earth Team volunteers started planting trees and shrubs, under the direction of NRCS district conservationist Katrina Johnson. The trees and shrubs will stabilize the banks of Lamesteer Creek and provide upland wildlife habitat. Varieties planted included western snowberry, Woods’ rose, skunkbush sumac, silver buffalo berry, chokecherry, golden currant, silverberry, sea buckthorn, and green ash.

The holes were pre-dug, but the Earth Team volunteers hand planted each tree and shrub. Then, a two-foot square fabric mat was placed around each tree and shrub to reduce competition from grass around the plants. Next, protective tubing was placed over the shrub or tree to prevent damage from wildlife browsing. Finally, a bamboo stake was threaded through the tube and driven into the ground to hold it in place.

“These students and their teachers did an excellent job. All 225 trees and shrubs were planted in just four hours,” Johnson said. “Lucille Keller was amazed at how fast the Earth Team volunteers completed the planting, and was very thankful for the time they donated and for all of their hard work.”

Keller’s project was funded in part through NRCS’ Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP). It also includes installing offsite livestock water, fencing Lamesteer Creek from livestock, planting fields adjacent to the creek with a grass/alfalfa mix, as well as a prescribed grazing system.

(Standing L to R):  Butch Roberts (FFA Advisor), Travis Begger, Dusty Hartse, Aaron Maus, Joe Bakken, Nick Maus, Dustin Gorman, Josh Helvik, Beau Roberts, Jordan LaBelle, Tel Bacon, Luke Ziemer, Kirby Eisenhauer (Environmental Science Instructor).  (Kneeling L to R):  Justin Grey Eagle, Amanda Hansen, Sara Begger, Nikki Hoagland, Lauren Ford, Natasha Barnaby, Kyle Kreitinger, Brant Harrell.

Earth Team volunteers place protective tubing around each tree and shrub to prevent damage from wildlife browsing.

Last Modified: 05/25/2005