The soft green grass of the Mill Street Park has a few visitors on April 27. The Shootin Shamrocks 4-H club gathered to help Mayor Dean Derryberry and other local resident’s plant four new trees for Arbor Day. The cit y, along with its urban forestry program, has been planting young trees around the city for seven years.

            “I am glad to see programs like this continue,” said Rob Ethridge, the Urban Forest Manager for the Montana State Department of Natural Resource and Conservation. The DNRC has information, technology and financial assistance to local governments who what to have an urban forest Program. “There are about 39 tree cities in the state, and Sheridan has been one for 7 years now.

            Because of the urban forest program that has continued in Sheridan, Dick Bar of the United Tree Service also donated money for purchasing the trees. He also gave lessons on how to keep trees healthy by demonstrating proper pruning and watering techniques.

            Planting four large trees is a tough job. Don Bair made sure the holes were dug before the kids were out of school. After Mr. Ethridge presented the Mayor with a new plaque, a flag and stickers to mark Sheridan as a tree city for another year, the Shootin Shamrocks 4-H Club members set to work, and they worked like they were on a mission. “I didn’t think that the kids would finish shoveling the dirt on all four trees,” said Derryberry. “But they stuck with it and got the job done.