UI Marked The 250th With Red, White, Blue Trees

The University of Idaho marked America’s 250th birthday with a living tribute across the state. The university’s Franklin H. Pitkin Forest Nursery provided red, white and blue native trees and shrubs to all 45 University of Idaho Extension county and tribal offices. Communities used the seedlings, which were shipped in late June, at Extension offices, fairgrounds or other public spaces.

In Benewah County, the trees and shrubs were planted at the new Veterans’ Outreach Center annex in Fernwood as part of the facility’s grand opening.

“I think this is a good way of showcasing Idaho’s natural resources and native plants,” said UI Extension educator Lauren King, Benewah County, who is a former Pitkin Nursery employee. "I focus a lot on native plants in landscape restoration, and I think it’s important that landowners see we have beautiful native plants here that can also be used as ornamentals.”

The state nursery grows about 500,000 seedlings each year to support reforestation, research and student education.

“This gets to Idaho’s spirit of valuing our natural resources — being able to highlight its natural resources through native plants in a unique way of celebrating the country’s history,” said Andrew Nelson, director of the Pitkin Nursery. “This also highlights the value of the university to the citizenship of the state, particularly from the perspective of the nursery as a place where people can procure seedlings for reforestation needs.”