Greener Nebraska Towns Sept. 25 event includes stops at CSC

The conference will take place at Chadron State College, Kenwood School and other sites throughout Chadron from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Organizer Lucinda Mays encourages anyone responsible for the care of community landscapes to attend — elected officials, civic volunteers, city managers, utility professionals, green industry, groundskeepers, college and school personnel, economic development officials and park professionals.

USDA Forest Service research estimates that “for every dollar spent on planting and caring for a tree, the benefits that it provides are two to five times that investment.”

With that much impact, Mays said, “it’s important that the expense and effort put into planted landscapes be carefully managed.”

The day begins with Nebraska’s First Lady, Sally Ganem, planting a tree with students at Kenwood School.

The ailing Champion Blue Spruce on the Dean's Green will be assessed at 11 a.m. during landscape tours in the morning. Lunch will be at the Sandoz Center.

Ganem will offer a welcome address, to be followed by a keynote presentation on the value of green infrastructure. Afternoon presentations will focus on sharing successes with Greener Nebraska Towns projects. 

Mays said, “The importance of our community landscapes is evidenced by the many sponsors for this event.”

Sponsors include the Nebraska Environmental Trust, Nebraska Forest Service, Chadron State College and campus arboretum volunteers, U.S. Forest Service, City of Chadron Parks Department and the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum.

The public is invited to attend and all of the day’s events are free, but pre-registration is required for lunch and the afternoon sessions. Email confirmation, map and agenda will be sent upon registration. To register, contact Lucinda Mays at 308.430.4186 or lmays@csc.edu.