Kalispell’s public elementary schools branched out from their normal routines to celebrate Arbor Day in a big way this year.

More than 300 third-graders from Edgerton, Elrod, Hedges, Peterson and Russell schools took root at Lawrence Park on Friday afternoon to learn about and plant trees.

“Last year we had 30 kids plant one tree, this year we have 300 kids and six trees,”  longtime Street Tree Commission board member Bette Albright said. 

Students helped plant one tree for each school and one for the city of Kalispell. Tree varieties included green spire linden, bur oak, swamp white oak, sensation box elder and snow crabapple.

Each tree was marked with a wooden plaque inscribed with a school’s name. The wooden plaques were designed by Flathead High School wood shop student Jayme Evenson using local elm trees cut down after dying from Dutch elm disease.

“We’ve lost 75 trees over the last two years,” Albright said.

Flathead High wood students have used the dead elm trees for many years for school projects. A variety of furniture built using the dead elm trees was on display in one of 14 booths third-graders stopped at, led by Flathead student council members, to learn about trees, other natural resources and conservation. 

One topic students learned about was invasive insects such the Asian longhorn beetle. Some students wore black headbands with white striped antennae flapping in the wind that read “your tree is my lunch.” 

Peterson third-grader Domanik Harris said one of the interesting things he learned about trees was how they can grow around objects.

“I didn’t know that one guy a long time ago put a bike in a tree and it grew around it. I didn’t know they could do that,” Harris said. 

Harris said it’s important to take care of trees because of the oxygen they provide.

The first tree students helped plant was for the city of Kalispell. Before planting could commence, Dave Jones, forester for the Montana Department of Natural Resource and Conservation, polled third-graders on what to name the tree. The children had three options — Sally, Sammie or Riley the swamp white oak. Shouts and cheers showed a clear winner — Riley.

Jones quizzed the third-graders on their Arbor Day knowledge.

“What year [was the first Arbor Day celebrated],” Jones asked the crowd.

“1872,” students shouted back.

They had a little more trouble remembering who started Arbor Day. The idea for Arbor Day originated in Nebraska by journalist and pioneer Julius Morton, who wrote about agriculture and trees to a “receptive audience,” according to www.arborday.com. The first Arbor Day was observed in Nebraska in 1872.

“His fellow pioneers missed their trees and needed them for windbreaks, fuel, building materials and shade from the hot prairie sun.”

Afterward, student representatives from each school gathered around Riley the swamp white oak, picked up pint-sized golden shovels and took turns piling soil around the tree.

During the celebration, the city of Kalispell also was recognized for being a Tree City USA community. Kalispell is in its 29th year as a Tree City USA community. Kalispell Mayor Mark Johnson accepted the Arbor Day Foundation award on behalf of the city.

“The reason we’re here is for you,” Johnson said to students.

Johnson talked about how the trees planted today would benefit generations to come and each would serve as “living history.” Johnson said one day when the children are grown up, they can return with their children or grandchildren and be amazed to see how tall the trees they planted have grown.

 A Tree City USA designation recognizes communities with quality tree management programs, according to Albright.

“I think it reflects a community’s values — values of fresh air, values of a pleasing and healthy environment, values given to the next generation,” Albright said.

At the end of the day, students were sent home with ponderosa pine saplings. Third grader Rylee Helpenstill was excited to put what she learned during the day to work in caring for the sapling.

“We learned trees need nutrients, water and sun. If they don’t have one, they get sickly,” Helpenstill said.

The Arbor Day 2015 Kalispell celebration was organized by the Street Tree Commission with support from Kalispell Parks and Recreation, Kalispell Public Schools and the Montana Department of Natural Resource and Conservation.

“If it’s successful, we’ll do it again and make it bigger,” Albright said.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.