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.

Loni and Karl tend to a tree.

Loni rakes some compost around a tree.

The line of new trees next to N. Maple.

Andy of Spokane Urban Forestry gives some tips and instructions.

Bryce fills a wheelbarrow with mulch.

Jigmed wheels some mulch to where it’s needed.

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

Jim and Tim talk trees.

Tim and Bryce fill a wheelbarrow with mulch.

Bryce digs in to the pile of compost.

A treegram hangs from one of the branches.

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

Bryce and Alicia fill a wheelbarrow with mulch.

Linda spreads some compost around a tree.

Andy and Bert deal with the shrinking pile of compost.

Jackie fills out a treegram.

Jim and his young assistant

Jim signs the MoU.

The tree-planting crew.

Karl hauls some compost.

A treegram hangs from one of the branches.

Melissa scoops mulch into the wheelbarrow.

Tim fills out a treegram.

Angel and Stacy catch up.

Loni is having a lot of fun spreading compost.

Stacy rakes out compost.

Volunteers of all ages came to help.

Jackie shovels some compost.

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.