Despite a snowy forecast, a group of volunteers gathered at 9 a.m. Saturday in the 416 Fire burn area near Hermosa for an Arbor Day tree planting.
The planting was organized by the nonprofit Mountain Studies Institute in partnership with the San Juan National Forest, said Amanda Kuenzi, MSI’s community science director.
She said 52 volunteers registered for the event, many of whom were excited because they have wanted to do something to help the burn area heal for a long time, and Saturday was the first day that the public has been invited to plant trees there.
The group had secured 900 trees – 600 ponderosa pine and 300 Douglas firs – to plant in the burn area. By about 11 a.m., all of the trees had been planted.
