Adopt-a-Tree program

For the April 29th, 2023 John Neitge Earth Day oak seedling planting event, we introduced something new: our Adopt-a-Tree program. The bur oak seedings were obtained from the Washington Conservation District. Over 160 were planted in buckthorn-cleared areas of Sunfish Lake Park, but 25 more are still available at the Sally Manzara Interpretive Nature Center.

For $5 you will receive an oak seedling, 12-18 inches tall, a plastic bag to keep the roots moist before planting, the stake, and a protective tube for planting it, with a number label. Each tree will get a unique number, and we will provide GPS latitude and longitude values so you can find it in the future. Any time the Park is open, you can visit your tree to water it, measure it, count the leaves, and photograph it. When you send us this information by email, we will add it to the database as soon as it is ready, so it can be used to study the success of the Restoration of Sunfish Lake Park project.

Each tree has a unique number. We are working on a system to keep track of the location of each one. Please bear with us while we work out the technical difficulties. Then, when the adopter visits their tree, they can report on how it is faring. We want to see if adopted trees do better than orphans, and we have also planted (in early October) 25 oak seedlings “fostered” by the Washington County Master Gardeners at their new Gravel Bed Tree Nursery just South of the 4H Building at the Washington County Fairgrounds.

Interested in adopting a tree? It’s a great opportunity for each child (or adult) to have their own tree for only $5! Email us at oaks23@sminc-lake-elmo.org with name(s) and address(es) of the tree adopter(s). When you sign up, we will work out a time for a guide to take the adopter(s) out to the Park location where the trees can be planted.

Those who adopted a tree are invited to visit it any time the Park is open. You may water your tree, take its picture, and note its condition. Send the picture and information to oaks23@sminc-lake-elmo.org and we will keep track of it. We are hoping to show that the adopted trees do better than the “orphans” that were planted the same day but not given special care. Do your part to help the forest regenerate after buckthorn removal.