A leisurely walk around town will reveal new, young trees with some sort of green critter wrapped around the base. These critters are sometimes standing upright and sometimes seem to be taking a bit of a rest.

The Tree Board has purchased and is in the process of placing these odd-looking things, known as Tree Gators, around the newly planted trees from the DNRC Ash Borer Grant. Homeowners are being asked to fill them every two weeks, particularly during this extreme heat. The fill hole is located behind the label and filling takes only a few minutes. A gator holds 20 gallons of water, which will slowly drip for 6-9 hours. Volunteers have stepped up to fill gators located on the boulevards abutting vacant properties. The board is excited about this new-to-Roundup watering system since plenty of water in the first year or two is crucial to the success of the tree plantings.