Rotary Park on the road to Riverton is the recipient of 20 new trees planted April 26 to commemorate Arbor Day. Nonprofit Tree Utah partnered with Draper City for the event. They put out a call for volunteers to plant the trees near the park’s new disc golf course and walking paths. Tree Utah also provided matching funds for the city to purchase the trees.

Tree Utah staff stressed the importance of selecting appropriate trees that will successfully grow in this area. “We’re planting zelkova, honey locust and elms, tough trees that do well along the river corridor, even with the wind. We want to plant them so they’re here well beyond us,” said Director of Tree Utah Amy May. Arborist Erik Stratton demonstrated the correct planting procedure for the volunteers.

Stratton offered the following tips to successfully plant a tree:

To start, consult with an arborist at a nursery to select an appropriate tree.

Don’t plant right next to a sidewalk or walking path, give the tree space to grow.

Dig a hole big enough to accommodate the tree.

Scratch the sides of the root ball to loosen the roots before putting it in the hole.

Make sure the tree is straight in the hole before surrounding it with soil.

Don’t cover the root crown, only put soil around the sides of the root ball.

Don’t apply fertilizer, trees are well-versed in getting into the native soil.

Top with mulch and water the tree for a successful start.

Jim Colby and his 9-year-old son Emmett volunteered on behalf of Jim’s employer, Jordan Credit Union. “I’m a big fan of planting trees. They’re so good for the environment, and I’m always looking for a fun experience for my little guy,” Jim Colby said. 

Chiquita Jones and Desiree Mealing brought their young children to help. The kids weren’t afraid to get their hands dirty, helping dig the hole and scratching the root ball to loosen it up before surrounding it with soil. “This is our fifth time volunteering. Whenever we’re available, we like to come by and lend a helping hand,” Mealing said. 

Gary and Becky Rogers live across from the park and walked over to participate. “We’re happy to be supporting our neighborhood,” said Gary Rogers, who walks the park’s trails several times each week. The Rogers have lived there for 20 years. Gary Rogers said the new disc golf course has been a fun addition to the park, bringing pros and amateurs alike. Becky Rogers said she’s pleased the disc golf course has brought family-friendly activity to Rotary Park. 

David Cloward is chair of Draper’s Tree Committee. “The goal of the Tree Committee is trees that benefit generations. That’s not an easy goal. We have to pick the right trees and plant them in the right way,” he said.

According to Draper Parks and Recreation Director Rhett Ogden, the city ran 600 feet of irrigation to support the new trees. The city also caged the new trees to protect them from animals until they get established. “These trees will be a great addition. We’re going to make this a beautiful disc golf course,” Ogden said. 

Councilmember Bryn Heather Johnson spoke to the volunteers and told a story from her childhood in Virginia when she helped plant trees along the walking path to her school. Through the years, Johnson said, she has watched the growth of the tree she planted and she encouraged the kids in attendance to do the same. “Watch it grow and think about the effort you put into it today,” she said. That’s something the Mealing family has already done after volunteering with Tree Utah in the past. “Being able to come back and find the tree we planted is really neat,” Mealing said. 

Draper City hosts an Arbor Day ceremony annually, one of the requirements for maintaining the city’s Tree City USA status. This year’s event took place on a sunny Saturday with rain predicted the next day, likely giving the trees an even better start at settling into the soil and their new home. λ