Tree Stewards Prepare for 30th Anniversary While Offering Community Tree Care Class

For nearly three decades, a group of local volunteers has been quietly helping care for the trees that shade neighborhoods, parks, schools, and public spaces across Front Royal and Warren County.

Now, the Tree Stewards are approaching their 30th anniversary, and the organization is preparing both a major planting project and another round of its popular tree-care education program.

Melody Hotek, a member of the Tree Stewards executive committee, recently discussed the organization’s work during a Town Talk conversation. She said the group has spent 29 years “working as volunteers for the community forest,” helping both the Town of Front Royal and Warren County.

Next year will mark the organization’s 30th year, and the Tree Stewards are already planning a fitting way to celebrate.

“We’ve already talked to the school system,” Hotek said. “We’re going to be planting 30 trees at all the schools — not 30 at each school, but 30 spread out among the different schools.”

One of the group’s most visible efforts has been its annual tree giveaway. The program has grown considerably during its first four years, with more than 500 trees distributed last year.

The Tree Stewards worked with ACES on the giveaway and received a Virginia Department of Forestry grant to help cover the expense.

The goal isn’t simply to hand out trees. Organizers want those trees planted locally, where they can contribute to the area’s tree canopy for years to come.

Hotek said residents participating in the giveaway were asked to identify the county where they planned to plant their tree. She said about 99% indicated Warren County.

Some residents have even named their new trees and later reported back to the organization about how they’re growing.

Trees provide more than scenery, Hotek said. They can provide shade, help lower temperatures and add value to residential property. A healthy community tree canopy also provides habitat and other environmental benefits.

But planting a tree is only the beginning. Knowing what kind of tree belongs in a particular location — and how to care for it once it’s there — can determine whether it thrives.

That’s where the Tree Stewards’ educational work comes in.

The organization’s “All About Trees” class begins Sept. 12 and will run for seven Saturdays. The hybrid course combines online lessons with in-person activities and field trips.

The cost is $30.

Hotek said the program brings participants together with certified arborists and experts from organizations including the Virginia Department of Forestry and Extension Office.

“It’s a really high-level class,” she said.

Participants learn practical skills including selecting trees, planting, watering, mulching and pruning. They also learn how to identify trees and recognize invasive plants, insects, and diseases that can threaten them.

Hotek knows firsthand how useful that information can be.

After moving to the area and suddenly finding herself responsible for 15 acres, she took the class to better understand the trees on her property.

“Now I have an idea about what to plant where and how to take care of it,” she said.

The course also addresses invasive species, including Tree of Heaven, which is associated with the invasive spotted lanternfly.

In-person Saturday sessions vary by location and activity. Participants may take a tree-identification walk, practice hands-on pruning, visit an arboretum, or participate in other outdoor learning activities.

The seven-week program concludes with participants planting a tree somewhere in the community.

In recent years, classes have planted trees at the skate park, while other class trees can be found around town and at the local arboretum between Main Street and Prospect Street. Small signs identify some of the trees by class year.

The organization has another community project in the works: finding some of Warren County’s biggest trees.

Hotek said the Tree Stewards plan to launch a program inviting residents to measure and submit large trees found throughout Front Royal and Warren County. Organizers hope children will get involved as well, learning how trees are measured while searching their yards and neighborhoods for notable specimens.

“We know there are some big trees out there,” Hotek said. “And we want to try to find them.”

Native trees are of particular interest because their size can demonstrate how well species adapted to the region can perform over many decades.

The Tree Stewards’ work also extends beyond trees themselves.

Each year, the organization helps support the hanging flower baskets that brighten downtown Front Royal. Hotek thanked Laura Ruby, Ellen Aders with State Farm, and Joan Brubaker for donations supporting this year’s effort.

Residents who enjoy the baskets can also help. Hotek said the Tree Stewards accept donations each spring and pass the support along to the town for the hanging basket program.

The flowers have become a noticeable part of downtown during the warmer months, welcoming residents and visitors as they travel along Main Street.

Whether maintaining that downtown appearance, giving away hundreds of trees, teaching residents proper pruning techniques or preparing to plant 30 trees at local schools, the Tree Stewards’ work shares a common purpose: leaving a healthier community forest for the future.

And after nearly 30 years, the organization is also hoping more residents will learn how to take part themselves.

The upcoming class offers one place to start.

“It’s a great class, and it’s small,” Hotek said, “and you get a lot of private one-on-one attention.”

Town Talk, sponsored by National Media Services, Inc., is a Royal Examiner series that introduces you to local entrepreneurs, business owners, nonprofit leaders, and public officials who help shape Warren County. Conversations cover a wide range of topics about our community and the people making a difference.