Trees offer gift to future generation

A dozen inmates stood separate from the crowd on the sun-dappled lawn surrounding the Stewart Indian Museum as speakers praised their work.

About 50 people showed up for a tree planting ceremony at Stewart on Monday afternoon.

The inmates, members of a Nevada Division of Forestry work crew, did the preparation for the planting 40 trees around the museum.

Thirty of the trees were among 100 given to the state for the Nevada Millennium Grove. The other 10 were donated by Greenhouse Garden Center and Nevada Shade Tree council.

Forestry Staff Specialist Susan Stead said the inmates' hard work made the planting possible.

"They dug the holes, planted the trees, they mowed the lawns," Stead said Monday. "We were glad to have that support."

Director of Conservation and Resources Mike Turnipseed kicked off the celebration.

"I would love to come back in 100 years to see these trees, but I'm probably not going to make it," he said.

The Millennium Grove includes examples of trees from several periods in U.S. history, including a Fremont cottonwood from the Genoa Hanging Tree and a Red Oak grown from an acorn taken from a tree near Nathan Hale's boyhood home.

Stead said plans are for a walk to be developed along the grove.

"There will be a walk that starts from the colonial charter to the founding of the Stewart Indian School," she said.

The historic tree walk was designed by Urban Forester Patricia Rowley of the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension.

Fall is a good time to plant trees, Stead said.

"You get a couple of months of root growth before winter really sets in," she said. "It's almost like trees planted in the fall get a whole season's worth of extra growth."

The tree planting is part of the nationwide "Millennium Green" initiative being promoted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

"It's hard to find a spot in Carson to put that many trees," she said. "It adds a lot to the history of the area."

Stead said that another 30 trees will be planted in Henderson at the Clark County Wetlands Parks. The rest of the trees will be spread out around the state, with some going to Elko, West Wendover, Lovelock, Smith Valley and Las Vegas.

Among those attending the ceremony were Secretary of State Dean Heller, Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa, Sen. Lawrence Jacobsen, R-Minden, and Carson City Mayor Ray Masayko.