ARBOR DAY 2013: "KEEP EUREKA BEAUTIFUL" TO PLANT 2,000 TREES ON CITY STREETS

March 7th is Arbor Day in California, and keeping with tradition “Keep Eureka Beautiful” is making it their mission to turn some barren north coast streets into tree lined oasis’.
 
“I’m 71 I’m going to die in another 20 years but those trees are going to still be here,” says Michelle McKeegan, president of the organization. She says her age won’t let her age keep her from what she loves.
 
"We just care about Eureka, and we care about trees!"
 
Keep Eureka Beautiful is taking this Arbor Day to help Eureka residents beautify their barren sidewalks.
 
"Its the time of year that we celebrate trees and what trees do for the community."
 
The group is planting trees all this week. They’re donating the actual tree and planting material, but charging homeowners seventy-five dollars to offset the cost to cut sidewalk concrete. McKeegan says she’s working primarily on “H” and “I” streets to dig in to her planting goal, “Because those are such busy streets and could really use some traffic calming."
 
So far keep eureka beautiful has planted about 500 trees on city sidewalks, they have another 1,450 to go. Why so many? McKeegan says the benefits of these branches are endless.
 
“They raise property values, they slow traffic down, they make it pleasant for kids to bicycle and for people to walk, they clean the air and water… there’s even some evidence in some communities that it has an effect on the crime rate."
 
Keep Eureka Beautiful says they’re thankful to their many tree donors who allow them to continue their project. If you’d like them to come plant a tree on your sidewalk, you can call 444-8147.