VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Trees benefit us in many ways.  They store carbon, stabilize soil and provide shade and protection from the wind. But even a well meaning lawn mower can harm a tree, as can a weed whacker or even rabbits (or beavers in Chautauqua Park).

A volunteer group in Valley City, the Image and Beautification Committee, along with city forester, Bob Anderson, have made a commitment to both writing grants to plant more trees and to care for them after planting. Tree protectors can do a lot to protect a tree.

Dr. James Buhr  an Image and Beautification volunteer has been busy trading out larger tree protectors on the oak trees on a Sheyenne River meadow south west of the VCSU campus.

Back a few years, the Image Committee planted over 30 oak seedlings that Dick Monson, an environmentalist and local farmer donated to the city.  The committee has been watering and caring faithfully for these trees.

Valley City is recognized for its work with trees and is identified as a Tree City USA community. If anyone would like to volunteer with the Image and Beautification Committee please contact Sharon Buhr, chair at 840-0973.

Feature photo: Dr. James Buhr, an Image and Beautification Committee volunteer positioned larger tree protectors on over 30 oak trees by the Sheyenne River southwest of the VCSU campus, protecting the trees from lawnmowers bumping the trunks, or weed whackers, or rabbits or even beavers.