Area scouts plant trees for national day of service

Anpetu-We Lodge, the local arm of the Boy Scouts of America's Order of the Arrow, planted about 800 tree seedlings Saturday at Twin Trees Park.

The Order of the Arrow is the national honor society for campers within the Boy Scouts. This is the second year of the national day of service for the Order of the Arrow. About 25 boys between 11 and 21 from Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Chaffee troops along with about 10 adult leaders worked for the city of Cape Girardeau in conjunction with the Missouri Department of Conservation.

Department of Conservation forester Joe Garvey said that low-lying areas of the park prone to flooding would benefit from reforestation and make mowing unnecessary. Varieties of oak, cottonwood, sycamore and sweetgum were planted.

Cape Girardeau Central High School student Michael Sprengel said there isn't much to planting trees.

"You just dig the hole," cover the roots and tie an orange plastic flag around the tree, he said.

The trees need room to grow, so the rule of thumb is 10 feet apart with placement not directly under an existing tree. The plastic flags indicate mow-free zones to parks department staff.

For eighth-grader Cory Johns, Saturday's activity was a little different from the kind of outdoor work he usually does at home.

"I've never planted a tree before," he said. "I'm used to taking them down."

Last year, the Anpetu-We Lodge cleaned up Juden Creek Trail, on East Cape Rock Drive just a stone's throw from Twin Trees Park. Chapter adviser David Giles said the projects are chosen based on need.

cpagano@semissourian.com

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