Ian Peisner, arborist and planning coordinator for TreeUtah, gives instructions to volunteers taking part in a Tree Utah community planting event at Sommerset Park in Lehi on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020. (Scott G Winterton/Deseret News)
WEST VALLEY, Utah — Saturday morning, Tree Utah and volunteers are restoring the Redwood Nature Area. On Saturday, from 9:00 a.m. until noon, volunteers will plant cottonwoods in the area, which stretches along the Jordan River.
According to a release from Tree Utah, Salt Lake County Zoo, Arts and Parks and Flood Control are funding part of the event. This restoration follows the removal of trees from the area at an earlier date.
The Army Corps of Engineers came to the organization a couple of years back to cut a large portion of the trees down in the nature area Amy May, executive director at Tree Utah told KSL NewsRadio. May said the Army Corps of Engineers cut down the trees due to the levees in the area.
Volunteers will plant trees away from the ones the Army Corps cut and away from the levee areas so they can continue protecting surrounding neighborhoods from flooding.
May said the main trees being planted are willows and cottonwoods, though other woody perennials will be used for shading too. The perennials will also act as protection for the seedlings to have a fair chance to grow.
May said she hopes re-planting trees will benefit the ecosystem in the area. According to May, for every tree that was cut down, two will be planted.