IDL hosts Arbor Day seedling giveaway
Photo courtesy of RODNEY COCHRANE Looks like the kids of the Silver Valley are getting in on the tree planting fun too! On Feb. 14, the Idaho Department of Lands Cataldo Fire Warden Kjell Truesdell (not pictured) and Private Forestry Specialist Rodney Cochrane (far right) assisted the after school program at Kellogg Middle School with planting Western White Pine seedlings. These seedlings were cultivated at the KMS greenhouse to be planted by the students at a later date.
Photo by CHANSE WATSON The many boxes of seedlings that IDL has stored in their cold storage for the Arbor Day event on Friday.
CATALDO — Natives of the Silver Valley can probably remember a period of time not so long ago when not a single tree could be spotted on many of the hillsides. Caused mainly though deforestation and pollution from the mines, it took many years (and some underground growing) for the area’s trees to flourish once again.
In an effort to keep the Valley green and commemorate Arbor Day on April 27, the Idaho Department of Lands Cataldo Office will once again be holding their annual tree seedling giveaway from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday.
The local IDL crew has more than prepared for the event by stashing away boxes and boxes of Western White Pine (the Idaho State Tree) and Western Larch seedlings.
The seedlings themselves come from Oregon, but IDL Private Forestry Specialist Rodney Cochrane explains that IDL plays a large role in there development.
“We collect most of our own seed from endowment lands.”
The seeds are then sent off to be sorted and planted to grow for a cycle. Once they become seedlings, they are returned to IDL to be planted in the wilderness.
IDL Cataldo has been holding this event consistently since 2014 and Cochrane says that it is incredibly important, especially here in the Silver Valley where we have had a unique way of growing trees in the past.
“The old timers around here, they know, but a lot of the kids these days and even folks our age don’t realize that all the trees on the hill here were grown in Bunker Hill. They were grown underground and put on the hill to reforest, which is pretty unique.”
With the mines closed and logging operations managed, the biggest threat now to our forests and getting seedlings to replenish them is wildfires. In fact, Cochrane points out that IDL Cataldo is incredibly fortunate to have the seedlings that they have.
“Last couple years with all the fires we’ve had, seedlings have been tough to come by,” he explained. “They’re (normally) spoken for by other state agencies, federal agencies and private lumber companies.”
The giveaway will be open to the public and seedlings will be dispersed on a first come, first serve basis until they are gone. To go along with the seedlings, snacks and drinks will be provided.
“We hope that you will plan to stop in, grab some seedlings and meet some of your local forestry and fire personnel,” Cochrane said.
The IDL Cataldo Office is located at 80 Hilltop Overpass Road in Kingston and can be reach at 208-682-4611.