Plantenberg Helps Train Big Timber Public Works Employees About Trees
Author: Patrick Plantenberg, Tree Board Chair
Plantenberg Helps Train Big Timber Public Works Employees About Trees
Patrick Plantenberg
Tree Board Chair
The Montana Urban and Community Forestry Association (MUCFA) plans to train public works employees about tree care and management. On August 12, MUCFA Chair and Townsend Tree Board Chair, Patrick Plantenberg, and Sandi Blake, owner of Blake Nursery in Big Timber held a young tree pruning workshop in Big Timber at the Mountain View Cemetery. The caretakers of the Sweetgrass County cemetery and fairgrounds attended as well as three members of the Big Timber Tree Board and a couple members of the public.
The young trees in the cemetery had never been pruned since they were planted, and the caregivers had never had any tree pruning lessons. Various pruning tools and techniques were discussed as well as other ways to mulch the trees to allow more water to get to the trees rather than to the grass.
About half of the trees were pruned. The rest will, hopefully, be pruned on September 20th when MUCFA will be coordinating a tree planting workshop and the Association of Montana Turf, Ornamental, and Pest Professionals (AMTOPP) will be pruning and removing large trees at the cemetery as part of the National Saluting Branches Day. Saluting Branches is a National Day of Service where arborists and other volunteers donate a day of tree care at veteran’s facilities across the country.
If you would like to participate on September 20th, please register at https://www.salutingbranches.org soon to get a free T-shirt.
Last May, Belgrade Parks and Recreation Department employees spent a day in Townsend learning about the Townsend Tree Board tree management program. Patrick Plantenberg plans a November tree pruning class in Belgrade for Belgrade, Manhattan, Townsend, and other local area city’s public works employees.
Questions? Please call Patrick Plantenberg at 406-431-4615.
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PhotoCredit: Patrick Plantenberg
Image 1 Caption: Sweetgrass County Public Works employees being taught how to prune young trees.
Photo Contributed by Patrick Plantenberg
sweetgrass county employees being trained to prunejpg.jpg)
