JBER celebrates Arbor Day with tree plantings

More than 100 Airmen, Soldiers and family members attended two tree-planting ceremonies to celebrate Arbor Day and the life of a volunteer at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson May 17 and 21.

The Arbor Day Foundation recently named JBER a 2017 Tree City USA, an honor the base has earned for 21 years running.

According to a foundation press release, JBER achieved the recognition by convening a tree board, instituting a tree-care policy, having an annual forestry budget of at least $2 per capita, and hosting an Arbor Day observance.

Stephen Nickle, State of Alaska Division of Forestry, presented the award during Arbor Day events May 17 near the crossroads of Arctic Warrior Drive and Pease Avenue, and May 21 at Ursa Major Elementary School.

The ceremonies were conducted in memory of Jill Hubert, wife of Lars Hubert, a retired Air Force colonel who served as the 11th Air Force vice-commander.

“On this, JBER’s 21st celebration of Arbor Day, I hereby dedicate this day and this tree in honor and in memory of our friend Jill Hubert, dedicated to furthering the education of our children on the importance of the air, land, water and wilderness around them and whose kind and caring spirit for all living things will be forever with us,” said Air Force Col. George T.M. Dietrich III, 673d Air Base Wing and JBER commander, as children helped plant a paper birch tree near the log cache.

Jill played a major role in Arbor Day and Earth Day events at JBER, volunteering with the base wildlife education center from 2015 through 2017, and coined the term “PoeTree.”

“I met Jill one day when she stopped by the base wildlife center and said, ‘I love nature. Can I help?’” said Charlene Johnson, JBER Wetland and Vegetation Ecology biological scientist. “She was an extremely special, humble and loving person. I’m honored to be able to celebrate her life and dedication to education about all things wild and free.”

Students from base elementary schools wrote poems about trees, which they read at the ceremonies.

“Advice from a tree: Stand tall and proud. Sink your roots into the earth. Be content with your natural beauty. Go out on a limb. Drink plenty of water. Remember your roots. Enjoy the view,” read a fourth-grade student

from Mount Spurr Elementary School.