Yellowstone Times

Montana State University will celebrate Arbor Day by hosting a tree planting event on April 25 from 10 a.m. to noon. The event is scheduled on the west side of MSU Bozeman’s Yellowstone Hall along South 15th Avenue. The university invites the public to participate in the tree planting activity. MSU's arborist, Mitch Sangl, advises volunteers to bring their own gloves, while shovels will be made available on site. “We’re going to plant three honey locust trees,” Sangl stated, explaining the process of backfilling holes, staking saplings, and mulching them. Volunteers will also receive guidance on best practices for successful tree planting. The event is supported by an $800 grant from the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. These saplings will replace two unhealthy trees and another that suffered damage. MSU Bozeman, with over 2,700 trees on campus, has been reaffirmed as a Tree Campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation. This recognition reflects the university's adherence to Tree Campus USA's standards, which include a tree advisory committee, a tree care plan, annual tree-related expenditures, Arbor Day celebrations, and student service-learning projects. MSU has maintained this designation since 2013. “We want people to come and learn and to celebrate Arbor Day,” said Sangl. “Together, we can help maintain a great future on campus involving trees and agriculture.”