4-H Delivers

Planting Trees in Humboldt County

The Issue

Trees are vitally important to our world and their importance is often overlooked. They provide many valuable assets, including air quality and beautification. With our nation’s push to “go green”, it is important that children learn about the value of trees at a young age and understand the science behind them.

In addition to the need for children to learn about environmental concerns, it is essential that children learn about service in the community. Helping youth become aware of opportunities within the community creates positive outcomes.

What has 4-H Done?

Humboldt County 4-H designed and implemented a tree planting project in collaboration with the UCCE Plant Advisor, Roots & Shoots, and the Eureka Garden Club. They conducted the Service Learning Tree Planting project in conjunction with our 2009 SET Expo. The event kicked off Humboldt County's SET initiative and featured local businesses, organizations, and 4-H clubs doing hands-on activities for kids related to science, engineering, and technology. They incorporated the tree planting project in order to provide more knowledge about plant science as well as opportunities for community service. They worked with the Redwood Acres Fair Director in selecting the type of trees they wanted for the grounds and the site where they would be planted. The fair director came to the tree planting and was very impressed by the event. The Eureka Garden Club provided the trees and a Service Learning grant provided the materials needed for the planting and the curriculum materials for the youth. On the day of the event, the UCCE Plant Science Advisor educated the youth about proper tree planting. The UCCE Plant Advisor also highlighted the significance of trees in our community and the purpose of celebrating Earth Day.

The Payoff

4-H led the way in providing the public with an opportunity to learn and serve. Over 500 people from the community attended the 4-H SET Expo, which included the tree planting project. Youth used and shared their knowledge about trees and their importance. Furthermore, 4-H was able to find a tangible way to give back to the fairgrounds, which provides much to the program. The trees will help beautify the grounds and will be enjoyed for years to come.

For more information, contact the Humboldt 4-H Office at (707)445-7351 or sksathrum@ucdavis.edu.

Author: Janet Harris and Sandy Sathrum