The recent tree planting event held at Bonnie Brennan Elementary School in Winslow was a great success thanks to tree donations from Arizona Public Service. Mayor Roberta “Birdie” Cano stopped by to congratulate the kids on planting seven fruitless plum and pear trees, which will bloom pink and white flowers. The trees were all chosen for their safe height of 25 feet so that they could be planted under power lines without any risk. Todd Golding from the Arizona Public Service (APS) forestry team, who sponsored the event, mentioned that they might need trimming at some point in about a decade.
The APS forestry team talked to 23 students from the school about the importance of trees, pollinators and how to handle electrical grid emergencies. The team also discussed practical advice for the kids when around damaged power lines to make sure they are not in danger in the case of damage to their local electric infrastructure. The event aimed to educate young students about the importance of trees and encourage them to contribute to environmental conservation. The APS team also sent students home with wildflower seeds, encouraging them to plant and take care of their own plants at home.
Bonnie Brennan Elementary School was chosen as the location for this year’s tree planting event because of the school’s robotics team making a presentation to APS to try to solve one of the issues utilities often have. The robotics team could have chosen any project that involved power to help APS, but they decided to solve the problem of transformers on utility poles starting fires when they malfunction. This school only has third and fourth graders, making it even more impressive that they chose such a topic.
The kids created what is essentially a tray that would sit below the transformer and catch any oil or sparks that transformers produce when they are damaged. Todd Golding said that “If the kids were to actually develop this idea into a real product, I’m pretty sure APS would be interested in buying it.” The whole team at APS was impressed that the kids would choose to solve a real problem that they struggle with and provided a pretty logical and effective means of solving it.
The event was not just about planting trees but also recognizing and appreciating the community’s contributions to environmental conservation. Planting trees is crucial for the environment as they help clean the air and provide shelter for various forms of wildlife. Trees also play a vital role in reducing soil erosion and preventing water pollution. Initiatives such as these play a crucial role in educating young students about the importance of trees and encouraging them to contribute to environmental conservation, especially in places like Winslow which have very few trees.
The APS forestry team is excited about next year’s event where they will pick another elementary school in the region to plant trees and teach the kids valuable lessons about how man-made technology like power lines can live in harmony with mother nature. Last year, APS went to Joseph City elementary school to plant trees and said they usually choose one to two schools per year for the event. Mayor Cano spoke to the members of APS’ team to discuss possibly partnering with the city to plant more trees around town because a local business recently approached the mayor about donating some trees to the city.
The efforts of Bonnie Brennan Elementary School and the APS forestry team serve as a great example of how communities can work together to promote environmental conservation and sustainability. The trees will also be a beautiful addition to the park and provide some much-needed shade to the area.
