Tree Board To Celebrate 35th Anniversary In 2025!
 | Author:
Patrick Plantenberg, Tree Board Chair
Townsend Tree Board Chair, Townsend Rotary Club |
Tree Board to Celebrate 35th Anniversary in 2025!
Patrick Plantenberg
Tree Board Chair
The Townsend Tree Board is preparing to celebrate its 35th anniversary in 2025. The Tree Board is a city board made up of five volunteers, appointed by the Mayor, that was formed by a city ordinance passed in 1990. Historically, the Tree Board has worked on community forestry issues and helped complete a partial public tree inventory in 1990. It has been active ordering and planting trees for the city and county, helping celebrate Arbor Day, and applying for Tree City USA recognition.
Since 2004, the Tree Board has expanded its role under the leadership of its Chair, Patrick Plantenberg. City funding has been sporadic. Many grants and donations have been received to help cover the cost of tree planting, pruning, and removals. The Tree Board has planted and pruned trees for private citizens to raise money to buy and maintain the community forest.
In the last 20 years, the Board has completed new public tree inventories in 2005, 2011, and 2020. Another updated inventory is planned for 2025. The community forest has changed dramatically with the removal of many undesirable large trees like white and hybrid cottonwoods and Siberian elms, and the planting of several thousand trees in the city and county.
Some of the trees planted in the last 20 years are now 40 feet tall! In addition, the diversity of tree species planted has increased to over 60 species. All public trees in the community have been pruned at least once since 2005 by volunteers working with the Tree Board.
Finally, a public tree watering program is being funded by the city to ensure the trees planted survive.
The Tree Board is looking for new members and volunteers. The average age of Tree Board members is 75 years of age! The Tree Board wants to ensure that new volunteers can be trained before the current group of volunteers age out. If you think you may be interested in helping spend some hours every year learning how to plant and prune trees as part of the Tree Board, please contact Patrick Plantenberg at 406-431-4651.
The Tree Board will be hosting a meal and fundraiser this spring to raise funds and to identify potential new volunteers. Many silent auction items have already been donated. Watch the MT 43 News for updates.
The Tree Board will be making presentations throughout 2025 to various organizations across the county and state. If you would like the Tree Board to speak to your group, please contact Patrick at the number above.
