Students Help Plant Trees During Dillon Arbor Day Celebration

DILLON — Friday morning the Dillon Tree Board, along with Matt Allen of Edge Tree Care, DNRC firefighters and student volunteers gathered near the tennis courts across from Dillon Middle School to celebrate Arbor Day with a community tree planting project.

The morning began with a short presentation about the history of Arbor Day along with trivia questions focused on the oldest tree in America and the oldest tree in Montana.

Following the presentation, several students were recognized for their artwork and awarded T-shirts featuring their winning designs. Those students included Gunner Throckmorton, Levi Taylor, Luke Rowe, Timmy Hazlewood, Brynnlynn Barnes, Remi, and Ari Navarrete.

After the awards were handed out, students split into five separate groups to help plant three Honey Locust trees and two Ginkgo trees near the tennis courts.

Organizers said the tree species were selected partly because they are relatively low maintenance and produce smaller leaves than many other tree varieties. The choice will help reduce leaf buildup on the tennis courts during the fall while still providing future shade to the area.

Once the planting was complete, Matt Allen gave students a demonstration of what his work as an arborist involves, including how he safely climbs trees while on the job.

The event brought together local organizations, DNRC firefighters and students for a hands-on learning opportunity focused on conservation, tree care and community involvement.