News & Notices

The City of Huntington is partnering with Huntington County Community Schools and the Huntington North Green Team to establish the Huntington City Tree Nursery. The project is funded through the American Forests Grant, awarded by the United States Department of Agriculture.

The nursery is located at Kriegbaum Field on North Jefferson Street, across from Huntington North High School and next to the Huntington County Community Learning Center.

The long-term goal is for the nursery to become the primary source of trees planted by the City of Huntington. Green Team students will help care for the trees while gaining hands-on experience managing the nursery.

“Essentially our goal is to not have to buy trees to replace them or install them on any of our projects,” said Adam Cuttriss, Director of Public Works & Engineering Services.

Operating a tree nursery could generate significant savings for the City. At the May 18 meeting of the Board of Public Works & Safety, Cuttriss noted that replacing approximately 50 trees on Tipton Street during the recent street restoration project cost between $200 and $300 per tree.

By comparison, the City spent about $400 to establish the nursery's first 500 saplings. All of the trees are native Indiana species.

On May 21-22, City Forester Emily Hayes and Green Team students started planting the initial 500 seedlings. Instead of being planted directly in the ground, the seedlings are being grown in tubes to promote healthy root growth and make future transplanting easier.

The nursery's first year will serve as a pilot project, helping determine its future size and scope. The tube planting method, modeled after a successful operation in New Harmony, Ind., will allow it to occupy far less space than a traditional nursery operation.

The nursery will support the City's broader efforts to expand its tree canopy. For example, approximately 500 trees were planted throughout Huntington during last year's "Oaktober" initiative, which City officials hope to continue annually.

“(The new nursery) comes from a grant through the federal government and it fits with a recognition here in the City of Huntington that more trees helps with stormwater, it helps with clean air, it helps with temperature regulation which lowers our energy costs,” Mayor Richard Strick said.

The Huntington City Tree Nursery is being developed using funds from a $1 million American Forests Grant awarded in 2024. Other initiatives under the grant include establishing the City’s Urban Forestry department, hiring a City Forester and completing a citywide tree inventory.