Roughly one dozen volunteers turned out today for the tree-planting event on N. Maple street.

Representatives from the Office of Neighborhood Services and Spokane Urban Forestry were there to lend a hand, and Nancy MacKerrow of The Susie Forest attended with cookies and “treegrams” to allow the planters’ wishes to flourish along with the trees.

Jim and Tim talk trees.

Jigmed wheels some mulch to where it’s needed.

Linda spreads some compost around a tree.

Jackie fills out a treegram.

Andy of Spokane Urban Forestry gives some tips and instructions.

A treegram hangs from one of the branches.

Jim signs the MoU.

Jim and his young assistant

Tim and Bryce fill a wheelbarrow with mulch.

Bryce fills a wheelbarrow with mulch.

Loni and Karl tend to a tree.

A treegram hangs from one of the branches.

Melissa scoops mulch into the wheelbarrow.

Jim, Bert and Tim figure out who’s next on shovel duty.

Bryce and Alicia fill a wheelbarrow with mulch.

Loni rakes some compost around a tree.

The line of new trees next to N. Maple.

Stacy rakes out compost.

The tree-planting crew.

Tim fills out a treegram.

Angel of Spokane Urban Forestry and Nancy MacKerrow of the Susie Forest.

Bryce digs in to the pile of compost.

Loni is having a lot of fun spreading compost.

Karl hauls some compost.

Jackie shovels some compost.

Andy and Bert deal with the shrinking pile of compost.

Volunteers of all ages came to help.

Angel and Stacy catch up.

This marks the first important step in dealing with this stretch of property on N. Maple. The Emerson-Garfield Neighborhood Council hopes to work with the city to install stormwater improvements, sidewalks and more plantings in the relatively near future.