Crews planting nearly 100 trees in Lakeview Cemetery, Holliday Park

Published on November 13, 2024

Landscaping crews from Big Bird Landscaping have been planting dozens of trees in Lakeview Cemetery and Holliday Park during the first part of November.

In all, a mix of 97 deciduous and coniferous trees suitable for Cheyenne’s climate are being planted. The trees will contribute to the Cheyenne Urban Forestry Division’s efforts to protect and increase Cheyenne’s tree canopy.

Funding for the project comes from a $55,000 grant through the Inflation Reduction Act and administered by the USDA Forest Service and the Wyoming State Forestry Division.

“This grant project will help us increase our tree planting efforts in these areas which will one day provide a much-needed tree canopy,” said Cheyenne City Forester Mark Ellison.

The variety of tree species that being planted represents efforts by Urban Forestry to diversify the types of trees in Cheyenne, creating a healthier urban canopy and reducing the effects of disease and age.

Most of Cheyenne’s largest trees are cottonwoods and spruce, which were the types of trees available in the area when they were planted in the early 1900s. Many of those trees are now reaching the end of their lifespans and are becoming hazardous as their lifecycle ends.

This grant project supplements other efforts to promote and expand tree cover in Cheyenne through Urban Forestry and Rooted in Cheyenne.

To learn more about Cheyenne Urban Forestry, visit www.cheyennetrees.com.