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Huntington North students propose city tree nursery to grow 500 trees a year
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Summary
Students from Huntington North’s Green Team presented a city partnership this week to grow an initial 500 trees in April 2026 and add 500 annually through 2031, funded by an American Forest Grant and supported by the City of Huntington’s urban forestry staff.
At a Huntington North School Corporation work session on April 13, student members of the school’s Green Team outlined a multi-year plan to establish a small, student-run tree nursery to supply the city with native trees.
A student presenter described the timeline: “We’re gonna start in April 2026 with our first 500 trees,” and said the plan calls for adding 500 trees each year through 2031 so the first cohort will be ready for city use in October 2031. The students said the project is funded by an American Forest Grant and that the trees themselves are donated through that grant.
The presenters said the nursery will use a compact, patented tube system that allows 500 saplings to fit in a small footprint. They described a portable layout with irrigation that will initially require about a 12-by-12-foot area for the first 500 tubes and grow to roughly 28-by-44 feet as cohorts mature. Students emphasized the educational value: the project will provide hands-on agricultural and forestry experience for classes and extracurricular groups.
City urban forester Emily Hayes, who was introduced by the students as a supporting partner, answered technical questions about winter survival and species selection. Hayes said the first order includes 100 white pine to form a cold-tolerant perimeter and that mulching and hay bales will be used to insulate roots during winter. She described the close planting and soil cover as additional insulating strategies.
Board members and attendees asked about site selection, potential conflicts and long-term distribution. Presenters said they chose a visible location near the learning center on Jefferson Street because of space and public access, but noted alternative spots if a learning-center expansion requires relocation. The city and school staff identified Yeoman Park, Memorial Park and other municipal planting sites as likely recipients when trees reach planting size.
Presenters also credited local practitioner Tom Guggenheim for sharing an above-ground tube design and said the school and city plan to use existing exterior water sources for irrigation so the district incurs minimal additional cost. Board members praised the students for leadership and encouraged them to track which district and community groups will receive stock in later years.
Next steps: the board heard the presentation and asked clarifying questions; no formal action was requested or taken at the work session.
