More than 70 trees planted at Anna Park
The City of Anna has planted more than 70 trees at the Anna City Park recently.
The addition of the trees helps to meet the requirements of the Tree City USA program.
The tree planting also serves as a way to strengthen cooperative efforts with the Union County Soil and Water Conservation District.
Those involved with the program say that most importantly, the new trees will beautify the park while establishing successional trees that will mature and eventually replace older trees lost to storms and other natural causes.
The trees selected for planting at the park mostly represent native species of the Southern Illinois region, but also include an assortment of ornamental varieties.
Anna’s Tree City USA committee was careful to choose a diverse mixture appropriate for a park setting, including extensive collections of Oaks and Magnolias.
The location of many of the new trees coincides with the layout of an 18-hole disc golf course that weaves throughout the park.
The tree committee is in the process of creating a tree identification course that will mirror the golf course and provide additional interest to visitors through distinguished specimen trees and informational signs.
Once marker flags were set for planting locations, John Wingate, steward of the disc golf course, fine tuned their orientation so that as the trees mature they will enhance the sporting challenges and aesthetics of each hole rather than create unwanted obstacles.
Gary Dahmer, the city’s public works manager, said that the tree planting project has been a success “due in large part to the work crew that stepped up and met the unique demands of such an undertaking.”
Anna city manager Dori Bigler added that “we are very lucky to have the staff we do at the City of Anna facilities.”
Beyond the initial trees that have been planted this spring, plans exist to supplement them with three additional, carefully selected trees each year.
New specimens will be installed annually in celebration of Arbor Day, the graduating class at Anna-Jonesboro Community High School and Veterans Day.