Dig holes, get dirty, enjoy a donut (or two), and help beautify The Cov

COVINGTON, Ky. – About 60 trees will take root in Covington’s Eastside neighborhood this Saturday, but they won’t get in the ground by themselves. That’s where you come in.

If you’re good with a shovel and don’t mind a little dirt, the Covington Urban Forestry Board and Ohio Valley Forestry Fellowship need your help with their Fall Tree Planting event.

The event begins at 9 a.m. Volunteers are asked to meet at Red Express Delivery, at 1207 Maryland Ave. Trees will be planted along 13th and Byrd streets. Tools will be provided, but you’re welcome to bring your own, and you’ll need to bring work gloves.

When it comes to planting trees, location matters, said the Patrick Moore, the City’s Urban Forester.

“One of the major factors taken into consideration is where we can plant new trees to help reduce existing urban heat islands,” said Moore. “To attach some data to it, studies have shown that trees can reduce temperatures by as much as 10 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit, and reduce energy bills by 10 to 30 percent, depending on tree size and location.”

“I think everyone enjoys the shade of a tree on a hot summer day,” Moore added, “but we rarely stop to think about the impact of the cooler temperature we feel in the shade and what it would be like without the tree in that moment.”

Did we mention that you’ll be fed?

Keep Covington Beautiful is pitching in with sustenance: Donuts and coffee.

Moore said volunteers are welcome to hang around after the plantings for lunch and a libation at a local establishment yet to be determined.

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