(Des Moines, IA) -- The Des Moines Metro Waste Authority is starting a program, to replace trees destroyed during last year's derecho.
The agency plans to distribute nearly 3,000 tree seedlings to partner communities, including Alleman, Altoona, Ankeny, Bondurant, Clive, Des Moines, Mitchellville, Runnels, Urbandale and West Des Moines between April 19 and May 7.
“At Metro Waste Authority, we saw the destruction across central Iowa firsthand,” said Executive Director Michael McCoy. “Record amounts of storm debris and yard waste were collected and hauled to our Metro Park East and Metro Park West landfills.” Most of the tree debris was ground into woodchips, and leaves, twigs and branches were composted.
According to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the derecho’s 120 mile per hour winds destroyed more than 724,000 acres of forest and millions of trees across the state. Most of what was damaged were massive, centuries-old trees that provided substantial cover. As a result, the state’s tree canopy was devastated.
“A key focus for our agency is environmental sustainability,” said McCoy. “The presence of trees helps reduce soil erosion, among other benefits, so seeing this vast destruction was concerning.”
Metro Waste Authority’s program offered up to 700 trees from the Iowa DNR State Forest Nursery to each of its member communities. In addition to the seedlings heading to towns in the coming weeks, Johnston received 200 trees from the program in November.
(Photo City of Des Moines)