The Homesteader Roots program capped off a day of planting Saturday by placing the program's 50th tree outside the Homesteader Museum. They started by replacing a classic boulevard tree, one of the many planted decades ago throughout town.

In five years, the program has had a real impact in town, along with those who volunteer to make it possible. 

Maureen Walsh said her son Eddie, as he was helping fill in dirt around a new tree, has been involved since he was in Cub Scouts. 

I’ve been doing it for years,” added fellow Scout Trey Peterson.  

Both Scouts were part of one of two groups out for the day. Before they joined up with the other group for the final plant at the museum, they replaced a boulevard tree on Division Street. Josh Pomeroy, owner of Blue Ribbon Tree Service, began the program in part to address these trees.

Around 80 years ago, he said, ash trees were donated to the city and planted all over town, especially along the boulevards, of which Division Street remains the prime example. 

Now, those trees are dying — they have lots of insect problems, Pomeroy said — which is why Division Street resident Laurie Larsen recently had hers cut down. Saturday morning, right next to where that tree had stood, a group of Boy Scouts joined Homesteader Roots program volunteer Laura Greathouse and Pomeroy in planting a boulevard linden. 

The tree was the only one the program needed a permit from the city to plant this year, as it is expected to fill a gap in the wide, tree lined street. 

He said the goal is to not have more than 33% of trees in a city be the same species to avoid monoculture, which means a large portion of trees are vulnerable to one bad virus. Pomeroy likes boulevard lindens as green ash replacements on the boulevards to diversify a city that consists of 50%-60% green ash trees (similar to Cody).

“I wish they would have planted way more of these trees,” Pomeroy said. “Lindens make really good boulevard trees because of their shape.”

Now the trees, which are mixing with other varieites to line the boulevards as the green ash have for generations, are becoming one of the symbols of Homesteader Roots' success.