The new tree is located in the space between the baseball diamonds. This new tree was planted courtesy of New Ulm Park & Recreation staff and students participants in the Herbie’s Hangout after school program.

Park & Recreation Program Supervisor Liz Malloy said the city has been quietly planting trees in the community, but thought it was a fun idea to include the kids in Herbie’s Hangout in honor of Arbor Day.

Planting a tree for Arbor Day has been a tradition for park & rec. for several years, though typically the tree was planted in German Park by one of the local middle school classes. This year, a new park was chosen and students from the after school program lended a green thumb.

Malloy said this year they wanted to place the tree in a location the city was already planning to place trees. Harman Park was in need of additional trees in between the baseball diamonds. There are plans to replace trees at Nehls Park as well.

Carter Dawson and Avery Walth with shovels Max Swenson and Camdyn Cooreman look on.

“We like to plant trees in high use areas,” she said.

The city usually plants between 20 and 30 trees in a year in city parks. Some of these trees are intended as replacement trees and some are new additions.

Herbie’s Hangout is a new after school pilot program started by park & rec. The program began in April and will run through May 24. Parents are able to sign up kids on a weekly basis. Parents can choose which day kids can attend. The idea for the program is to be flexible for family uses.

Most Herbie Hangout activities happen at the Recreation Center. The Arbor Day tree planting was unique in that the kids traveled to a different park

Malloy said for some of the kids it was their first time planting a tree.

Camdyn Cooreman shovels in dirt around Harman Park's latest oak tree.

“They were able to use shovels and pat down the dirt,” Malloy said. “It was a fun chance to get their hands dirty.”