Southeast Iowa Sierra Club gives away trees

The Southeast Iowa Sierra Club will be giving away 20 oak trees to Fairfield residents in early October, on a first-come, first-served basis.

Species will include white oak (quercus alba), bur oak (quercus macrocarpa), red oak (quercus rubra), pin oak (quercus palustris) and shingle oak (quercus imbricaria).

Each species is native to Fairfield and grows into a large shade tree, more than 50 feet tall and 30 feet wide. The trees the club is offering are offering are saplings about 4 to 6 feet tall in 3-gallon containers that can be transported in a car and can be 'carried by most people,” according to a news release from the club.

People who wish to receive a tree should have an area on their property large enough for the tree to grow properly without any danger to buildings or utilities, and be willing to plant and care for the tree. That means providing protection from deer and rabbits when the trees are young plus watering during times of drought until the trees are established.

'We will supply instructions for planting and care, but we are not responsible for the trees once they are in your possession,” the organization said.

Those who wish to receive an oak tree should send their name, address and phone number to seiowasierraclub@gmail.com. If more than 20 people request trees, they will be put on a waiting list for trees to be given away next spring, depending on funds available.

The club said that the oak is the national tree of the United States and that it lives for centuries and is known for its strength, resilience and majestic appearance.

'No other tree supports more wildlife than does an oak – 534 species total,” stated the news release. 'Acorns are food for deer, raccoons, turkeys, mice, squirrels and wood ducks.”

Oaks supply nesting sites for chickadees, wrens, downy woodpeckers, flickers, owls and bluebirds. No other tree supports more species of butterflies and moths than an oak. Caterpillars found in oak trees are the primary source of food for young birds.

'Oaks are also harvested for wood, so restoring oaks helps to shore up the declining population of these important trees,” the club stated. 'As people become more conscious of their legacy for future generations, they plant oaks.”