Students at MOC-Floyd Valley High School in Orange City planted dozens of trees on campus in April as part of a grant-funded environmental project aimed at restoring the school's tree canopy after years of losses to disease and severe weather.
The project was led by three students participating in the CAPS (Center for Advanced Professional Studies) program and was made possible through a $5,000 Trees for Schools grant. The funding allowed the students to select, purchase, and plant a variety of tree species suited to the Iowa climate and the school's specific landscape needs.
The new plantings are intended to replace trees lost to the emerald ash borer, an invasive insect that has devastated ash tree populations across Iowa and the Midwest, as well as trees destroyed by a derecho that swept through the region in recent years. The storm caused widespread damage to trees across Northwest Iowa, leaving many school campuses and public spaces with significantly reduced canopy cover.
The students worked with school facilities staff and community volunteers to plant the trees in locations where they will provide maximum benefit, including shade for school buildings and outdoor activity areas. Over time, the new trees are expected to reduce cooling costs, improve air quality, and enhance the aesthetic environment of the campus.
The project was praised by school administrators and community members as an example of student-led environmental stewardship that will benefit the MOC-Floyd Valley community for generations.