WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — Digging as a team, these students from the Wilkes-Barre Area Career and Technology Center are planting bare root trees throughout Wilkes-Barre. It's part of their coursework in a horticulture class.
"I signed up for horticulture because I love working with plants and just planting," added student Izabella Miller from Wapwallopen.
It's in partnership with the Diamond City Partnership.
"This is the fifth year that we have been participating in the bare root tree grant program through Tree Pennsylvania, which is a statewide initiative," explained DCP Executive Director Larry Newman.
Folks with the Diamond City Partnership tell Newswatch 16 that these trees will provide curb appeal and eventually shade for people who live here in the city of Wilkes Barre and help with stormwater management.
"Being part of the community, it includes it; if you don't continue to rebuild, then you'll lose aspects of things that we need to control pollution and as the water needs a place to go," said George Albright, the students' horticulture instructor.
"I don't think people necessarily appreciate just how significant a role street trees can play in reducing the water as the rain is coming down, reducing the load on the urban stormwater system," said Newman.
These benefits are part of the lesson plan for these students, along with the manual labor.
"I thought it was pretty easy. You could ask someone else, they might say it's harder, but I like, I like doing work outside," Carlos Schwab, a student from Pittston. "I'd rather be out here 100%."
19 trees were planted along streets and the River Common by the Susquehanna River as part of this initiative this year in Wilkes-Barre.