As spring approaches and things start to bloom, Oak Island is focused on trees, with a seedling giveaway to celebrate Arbor Day and plans for an arboretum in the works.
The Tree City USA Advisory Board hosted its annual tree seedling giveaway Friday with the help of Chuck Daniels, Town of Oak Island urban forester, and financial support from the Oak Island Beautification Club.
Corey Klamut, a forester with the N.C. Forest Service, also attended the Arbor Day celebration and handed out a Tree City USA award — the 13th for the town. He also gave the town a “growth award,” which recognizes environmental improvement and a high level of tree care.
While residents picked up seedlings of many varieties, they could also donate to the committee’s newest project — an arboretum planned for the southeast corner of Middleton Avenue and Oak Island Drive.
The town will apply for a $10,000 grant for the arboretum through the N.C. Urban and Community Forestry Program. Matching funds are required, but Daniels and the committee hope to raise the town’s share through donations. There already has been a $1,000 donation to the effort.
The arboretum would be planted next to the sewer station on the corner, and some of the landscape would be used to camouflage electric boxes.
While waiting for news of the grant, committee members are gathering information on materials cost and working out details for fundraising.
Committee member Phil Venis has created a design that includes a gazebo open on both sides along the path across the corner property. There’s also room in the plan for “understory” vegetation, like dogwoods, ground juniper and other trees and shrubs. There could be a rain garden, and the committee is working with the town’s stormwater director as well.
The design includes a path constructed with pavers, and the committee hopes to sell the pavers that could be engraved with a family name or dedicated as a memorial. The committee is also considering soliciting donations for memorial trees and benches.
The plan takes into account that the arboretum will be seen not only from Oak Island Drive, but also by residents and visitors coming onto the island via the second bridge.
“This is a chance to educate the public and beautify the island,” Daniels said. It’s also a chance to promote the wide variety of native vegetation.
“I love crape myrtles and live oaks, but we have other trees,” committee co-chairperson Jane Kulesza said.
Daniels said he would like to see the arboretum completed this year.
Daniels has done a complete survey of municipal trees and growing areas along public streets, and catalogued a total of 7,521 trees. He also assessed trees and categorized them by the type of maintenance they required.
The arboretum could be used to help Daniels teach residents proper tree care, such as pruning techniques. Trees and other vegetation could be labeled, and Kulesza said that people walking though the arboretum perhaps would learn something new.
“Somebody may walk through and see something in bloom and stop,” she said.
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