While the village of Riverside wrestles with the future impact of the emerald ash borer and the cost of reforestation, Riverside resident Tom Sisulak and his crew of amateur foresters will spend Saturday morning, Nov. 12, planting another 1,000 trees in the forested area of the village along the Des Plaines River.
For the fifth straight year, Sisulak is inviting all Riverside residents to join in his 1,000 Tree Planting Project and help plant 1,000 tree seeds through the area, stretching from the Riverside Swim Club to Swan Pond Park.
Volunteers are asked to gather at the Riverside United Methodist Church, 82 Woodside Road, at 10 a.m. After an educational briefing on how to use the planting tools Sisulak has developed over the years, teams will be deployed in the forested areas to plant the seeds. Among the species to be planted are several types of oaks, shag bark hickory, black walnut and hazelnut.
It will take each group three to four hours to plant 100 seeds, said Sisulak.
“After Saturday, we will have planted over 5,000 trees in Riverside, Sisulak said.
Sisulak annually collects the seeds from trees throughout the village. Starting out with about 5,000, he handpicks the best 1,000 for planting.
While the mortality rate from floods, weather and foraging animals is high, some of the trees planted in past years are taking root and growing.
“Some of the first trees are 3-5 feet tall already,” Sisulak said.
-Bob Uphues
