City Trees is a premier publication focused on urban + community forestry. In each issue, you’ll learn how to best manage the trees in your community and more!
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/566672
Wyoming State Forestry Division received a State and Private Forestry competitive grant from the US Forest Service to establish the arboretums. Each site contains between 50 to 150 trees and the number of species represented ranges from 15 to 40. To date, considerable planning and meetings with various stakeholders have taken place. The Wyoming Community Tree Managers Focus Group has been involved with the development and monitoring of the arboretums. This group consists of city foresters, municipal arborists, park superintendents, and other tree professionals. The Focus Group was formed to share information on urban forestry best management practices. Interactive meetings and field sessions take place three times a year in different host communities. Each meeting focuses on a specific topic and includes hands-on site visits. A recent meeting in Rock Springs focused on the importance of species diversity. The meeting featured updates of the statewide arboretum initiative and was followed by a walking tour of the Rock Springs High Desert Arboretum. The first arboretum was planted in Pinedale in the spring of 2012. This community is located in the west- ern part of the state and has very cold winters. Over 70 trees representing 28 different species and varieties were planted. In addition to sprinklers, a drip irrigation system has been installed. In spring of 2013 a second arboretum was established in Kendrick Park of Sheridan, Wyoming. This arboretum is next to the historic Kendrick Mansion, the residence of an early Wyoming governor. It consists of 56 trees representing 28 different species. As a bonus, the arboretum features an amazing view of the majestic Big Horn Mountains. The efforts involved the Sheridan Tree Board, Sheridan College, Sheridan Parks Department, junior and senior high school students, and others. That same year a third arboretum was planted in Newcastle, located in the Black Hills of Wyoming. This project has involved efforts by the City, tree board, and private sector. The grant funds have been leveraged with considerable contributions from Frontier Refinery to install a winding pathway through the site. A total of 86 trees have been planted with 34 different species represented. The largest of the arboretums was established in 2014 A historic arboretum at the former High Plains Horticultural Research Station contains hundreds of hardy trees and shrubs. www.urban-forestry.com 13