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May 6, 2000
Comfrey area gets greenerBy FRITZ BUSCH Journal Staff Writer COMFREY -- The drone of heavy construction equipment cut the air Friday morning as Comfrey continued to rebuild itself from the tornado that leveled much of the town two years ago. New curb and gutter mark many streets in town. Road graders moved dirt in preparation for stretches of new roads and sidewalks. Many new water and sewer lines are in place underneath the new roadbeds. The community is also getting greener. Last Monday and Tuesday, the Comfrey Public School student body planted a variety of over 300 shade trees around the school grounds and athletic complex to the west. Grant money for the trees was set aside by the Minnesota Legislature for Comfrey and other communities that suffered severe storm damage from the March 1998 super cell storm that hammered the area. Comfrey science and environmental education teacher Karen Poortvliet led her students in the project. "We tore out damaged windbreaks and shrubs that were heavily damaged on the athletic fields," said Poortvliet. "We made the athletic fields more wooded for aesthetic values and wind protection. The kids did a great job. We worked hard but had a lot of fun. I think the kids are proud of what they did." Tree varieties planted included maple, ironwood, butternut, hackberry and hawthorne. Species were chosen by the New Ulm office of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Hearty trees were chosen that would grow well in this climate and were not prone to disease, according to Poortvliet. The community reforestation is part of a two-year project led by the Tree Trust of Minneapolis. Under the $40,000 grant program, the Comfrey School, city and residents are required to put back in-kind labor or dollar donations. Comfrey residents will plant 96 trees in their yards May 13. After that, an Arbor Month celebration and noon lunch will be held at South Park. The Comfrey tree project will continue through June of 2001. More plantings will take place next May. Tree Trust staff will make maintenance visits to ensure the new trees are growing well. Volunteers and local project organizers will be honored at the celebration. Anybody interested in helping maintain the new trees is asked to contact Poortvliet at 877-3491 at the school or Linda Friesen, in the city office at 877-2665. Tree Trust is a private, non-profit organization, dedicated to community forestry. It provides technical help and volunteer training to help state communities plan, plant and care for their trees. Volunteer help was also provided by Fairmont Public School students, area residents, and several Gustavus Adolphus College students. Alliance Energy, which provides Comfrey with electrical power, drilled holes for the trees and provided funding support for Tree Trust of St. Louis Park and Trees Forever of Iowa to provide technical support.
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