Milwaukee is getting at slew of new trees thanks to two initiatives.
On Thursday, April 22 – Earth Day – a group of volunteers from the Harbor District and Komatsu Mining Corp., which is celebrating its centennial and is also building a new complex in the Harbor District, planted 100 Aspen, Black Walnut and Plum trees on the Kinnickinnic River Trail.
Meanwhile, at the 73-acre Humboldt Park in Bay View, Milwaukee County Parks forestry crews are busy planting new trees this spring as part of a plan to ultimately plant 100 new hardwood trees.
Starting earlier this month, the crews have been planting River Birch, Elm, Maple, Ironwood, Basswood, Chestnut and London Planetrees near the lagoon and lily pond and along Logan Avenue.
The trees – funded thanks to the efforts of Humboldt Park Friends – are meant to replace the nearly 200 mature trees that have been felled in the park over the past five years due to weather damage, infestation and disease.
“We were expecting a dozen trees would be planted this spring, but the county upped that to 22,” said Mike Bubolz, president of Humboldt Park Friends (HPF). “There will be another 20 to 25 hardwoods planted this autumn, with more scheduled for next year.”
“The County Parks Department appreciates the outpouring of support the Bay View community is showing for Humboldt Park. Families, friends, and neighbors seized the opportunity to remember their loved ones by purchasing a tree or contributing part of the cost for trees. Our park truly is a living legacy of our community.”
Meanwhile, back up in the Harbor District, Komatsu has long-term plans to help ensure the beautification of the area, including the RiverWalk as part of its construction of its new headquarters and manufacturing facility.
“We take our role as part of the community and environmental stewardship seriously, and are grateful to partner with the Harbor District in support of their vision for Milwaukee’s water resources,” said John Koetz, President, Surface Mining, Komatsu Mining Corp.
“For Earth Day, and to celebrate our 100th anniversary year, Komatsu employees worldwide are participating in a global day of volunteering. And here in our hometown of Milwaukee, volunteers are planting trees and cleaning up parks to help protect our planet.”
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
