Arbor Day Tree Planting at Henderson Park

Bryan County’s Henderson Park received a gift of 55 trees over the weekend, thanks to the efforts of the Coastal Bryan Tree Foundation.

“We’ve planted more than 400 trees in Bryan County since our inception,” stated Wendy Bolton. “Last year we planted 55 trees here.”

Bolton and her group descended on the park at 9 a.m. and were met with many volunteers who wanted to help out.

“We had about 40 people show up to help,” Bolton said. “A lot of Richmond Hill High School students came to help.”

The trees were purchased through fundraising efforts, such as the foundation’s annual Root Ball. They were planted around the parking area to allow for shade in the future and help the park maintain its natural look.

They put in a wide variety of trees as well. CBTF’s Jerry Holcomb stated they put in live oaks, tulip poplars, crepe myrtles, lacebark elms, black gum, southern red oaks and willows. “And they’re all native,” he added. “This park will be absolutely gorgeous in 10 years.”

“Coastal Bryan Tree Foundation purchased these trees to plant on the county right-of-way to help Bryan County,” Holcomb said. “We have an excellent working relationship with the county. The county helps us take care of the trees. That’s a major part of it – getting them to survive. Once we put them in, though, our survival ratio has been about 90 percent.”

“The county has a tree ordinance that allows us to do this because we know they’ll be protected for the future,” Bolton said.

Showing up to help plant was Bryan County Commission Chairman Jimmy Burnsed. “I came a little late and they had gotten a lot of work done,” he said. “They really are helping with the natural look of the park. We appreciate it.”