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 his young assistant

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

A treegram hangs from one of the branches.

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

Andy and Bert deal with the shrinking pile of compost.

Tim fills out a treegram.

Jim signs the MoU.

Loni is having a lot of fun spreading compost.

Loni and Karl tend to a tree.

Jigmed wheels some mulch to where it’s needed.

Jackie fills out a treegram.

Volunteers of all ages came to help.

The line of new trees next to N. Maple.

Jackie shovels some compost.

Stacy rakes out compost.

Bryce and Alicia fill a wheelbarrow with mulch.

Loni rakes some compost around a tree.

Linda spreads some compost around a tree.

Bryce fills a wheelbarrow with mulch.

Karl hauls some compost.

Andy of Spokane Urban Forestry gives some tips and instructions.

Bryce digs in to the pile of compost.

Jim and Tim talk trees.

Melissa scoops mulch into the wheelbarrow.

Angel and Stacy catch up.

Tim and Bryce fill a wheelbarrow with mulch.

The tree-planting crew.

A treegram hangs from one of the branches.

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.