Grant program will help keep Viroqua's young trees healthy

VIROQUA, Wis. (WKBT) -- Over the past few years, Viroqua has planted many young saplings along their boulevards and a Wisconsin DNR Urban Forestry grant is making sure those trees have a long life.

"We plant trees every year, between 30 and 50 a year, and we want to make sure those young trees get a good start," said Sarah Grainger, Viroqua's Director of Public Works and City Engineer.

Beginning this week, city workers are installing around 200 watering bags on young boulevard trees in need of extra watering assistance.

"We're focusing on trees that were planted in the last three years...cause those are the years that take the most for the tree to survive and establish their roots," Grainger said.

While we've had a rainier season, past dry summers have put stress on Viroqua's young trees.

"Last year was a perfect example of that and we had a significant amount of tree loss because of the hot weather," Grainger said. "We want to make sure the money we're spending on trees and the effort is successful."

The bags hold 20 gallons of water and have small holes at the bottom.

The water will slowly drip out of the bag and over the roots of the tree for around 5 to eight hours, a technique that's extra beneficial to young saplings with growing roots.

"So the tree bags really help have a high concentration of water on a singular spot in order to make sure that the soil is really saturated," said Joe Binzley, an intern with Viroqua's Public Works.

Homeowners who find the bags on their boulevard's trees this summer are asked to fill them up once a week unless it's been rainy.

"At the end of the year, these bags come back to us. We're going to recollect them and then we'll hopefully be able to use them year after year, so it won't just be a one-year program," Grainger said.

The grant program is also allowing Viroqua to branch out. Starting this fall, the city will be able plant more than 50 trees annually in public spaces thanks to funding from the grant.

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