OMAHA — A new “Trees for Tomorrow” initiative is to launch Saturday with the planting of 75 new trees in the Elkhorn area’s Ta-Ha-Zouka Park.

About 80 community volunteers who will be planting a dozen different native species in that area were motivated by devastation that tornadoes caused to their neighborhoods earlier this year, organizers said.

The Elkhorn tree-planting event, sponsored by Kiewit and the Nebraska Environmental Trust, is not open to the public.

Other future events will be public, including educational activities, community conversations and tree-planting efforts, said Emily Hergenrader, a certified arborist who is Keep Omaha Beautiful’s tree program manager.

Public-Private Partnership

The Trees for Tomorrow program was established this year as a public-private partnership between nonprofit Keep Omaha Beautiful, private donors and the City of Omaha Public Works, Parks and Recreation and Urban Planning Departments.

Over the next several years, the initiative expects to continue to strengthen Omaha’s urban tree canopy by adding thousands of diverse tree species throughout parks and along trails, within city-owned right-of-way space and other public areas.

“The ongoing partnership between Omaha Parks and Recreation and Keep Omaha Beautiful strengthens both of our organizations,” says Matt Kalcevich, Omaha parks director. “Our goal is to plant more trees around the city, and do so responsibly and sustainably.”

Hergenrader said efforts are focused on rebuilding and enhancing Omaha’s tree canopy with a diverse range of native species.

“Our canopy will be better equipped to withstand our changing climate,” she said. “It has become clear, especially this year, that building a stronger and more resilient tree canopy is vital for securing a healthier and more sustainable future for our city.”

‘Helps Unite The Community’

Elkhorn resident Tyler Curnes said some residents of areas hit hard by storms this year have felt powerless, and he’s excited to be a part of the tree program.

“It helps unite the community behind a project that is about the future, healing from the past and beautifying our city for generations to come,” Curnes said.

Trees for Tomorrow aims to expand on a 2018-23 effort to replace the considerable loss of city ash trees and tree canopy due to the invasive emerald ash borer beetle that arrived in Omaha around 2016.

Keep Omaha Beautiful said that in the last five years, it and partners planted more than 3,700 diverse trees throughout more than 120 public spaces.

This story was published by Nebraska Examiner, an editorially independent newsroom providing a hard-hitting, daily flow of news. Read the original article: https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/new-tree-planting-effort-in-omaha-ar...