Trees offer numerous benefits to a community, from increasing property values, to decreasing summer temps, to controlling wind and snow in the colder months, to reducing noise and air pollution. That’s why the City of Geneva is adding more than 200 trees along its new walking trail. In the future these trees will add beauty and shade to the community amenity, as well as habitat for wildlife.

Species planted include red cedar, Norway spruce, hackberry, silver maple, bur oak, and chokecherry. Some of the trees were machine planted by Upper Big Blue Natural Resources District staff, while others were planted by city employees. The 18-24” bare root seedlings don’t look like much yet; however, they will grow quickly if tended properly, assured Kyle Yrkoski, NRD district forester. As Yrkoski often reminds would-be tree planters, “The best time to plant a tree was ten years ago. The next best time is today.”

The city made use of the Community Tree Resources Program from the Upper Big Blue NRD to fund part of this improvement. This program offers financial assistance to communities for the development or improvement of city or village tree resources. Two levels of participation are offered. The first level encourages cities and villages to develop a new tree improvement program, which qualifies them for the Tree City USA designation.  A higher level of district assistance is available to communities that make such a commitment. The second level of assistance is available to cities, villages and other public entities that have developed a specific plan for tree replacement or new plantings. 

Related to the Community Tree Resources Program but with a slightly different emphasis, the NRD also offers a Community Native Grass Resource Program. This program offers financial assistance to communities to develop or improve city or village properties where the establishment of native grass would be beneficial.  Such areas may include, but are not limited to, lands surrounding wastewater treatment lagoons, lands within a Wellhead Protection Area and areas suitable for wildlife habitat improvement.

The tree planting project in Geneva is just the latest in a series of public land improvements that have been made in partnership with the NRD. In 2021, the NRD was involved with the expansion and improvement of Geneva Boys Pond, providing $10,000 as well as technical expertise. In 2022, The NRD provided $25,000 toward Phase I of the community walking trail project. Organized by the community group Geneva In Motion, this ¾-mile trail connects to a loop around the Fillmore County Hospital grounds, runs parallel to highway 81 along the edge of town, then turns west to end near Fillmore Central High School. The paved walking trail will eventually extend further west toward the city park as funds continue to be raised.

The goal is that the path will make the community a more walkable, healthy, and enjoyable place to live. The plan is to create greater access to safe walking routes to schools as well as to improve sidewalk connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists.

“We are so grateful for the support and funding that the NRD provided,” said Jenni Hoarty, wellness coordinator for Fillmore County Hospital and one of the lead organizers with Geneva In Motion. “After spending years in the planning stage, the funding from the NRD helped propel our project into motion. With the connection of our new trail, we are able to provide approximately 1.25 miles of safe trail for pedestrians from the high school to the city park.”

For the Boys Pond project, Geneva utilized funding through the NRD’s Parks Program. This program allows district cities and villages to access planning and financial assistance for the development or improvement of natural resources in nature areas, campgrounds, and park facilities that encourage tree planting, creation of wildlife habitat, and open spaces. 

“I’m glad that the NRD is willing to partner with the City of Geneva to do some of these things because they do benefit the community quite a bit,” said Lynn Yates, chairperson of the NRD Board of Directors and resident of Geneva. Yates says he frequently sees people of all ages enjoying the improvements to both the Boys Pond and the walking trail. “The things we’ve done have been good projects that are being used by the youth and the whole community.”

Sunset at the walking trail in Geneva, from Geneva In Motion Facebook page