Beaufort County News Release
March 10, 2017
Beaufort County Plants Crape Myrtle Trees, Beautifies Depot Road
Beaufort County residents visiting
the Depot area in Beaufort will soon enjoy the blooms of 26 Sioux Crape Myrtle trees
that now line Depot Road near Bay Street.
Keep
Beaufort County Beautiful, an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, received a grant to complete
a beautification project, allowing them to remove 20 overgrown trees and plant
26 new Sioux Crape Myrtle trees on Depot Road. The volunteer-based group is steered by the Solid Waste Section of the Beaufort County Public Works Department.
“This is a beautification
project with benefits that are three-fold,” said Jim Minor, Beaufort County
Solid Waste Director. “We’re not just focused on beautification, but also
safety and education.”
The trees that lined the
streets prior to this project grew into the power lines causing a safety
hazard. The new trees were planted to meet SCE&G compliance and will only
grow to a certain height, keeping the trees below the power lines.
Area residents were educated on Sioux Crape Myrtle trees and the importance of purchasing and planting trees
appropriate for the specific planting site.
“And what’s even more special
about this project is that it was a grassroots effort that began with one
concerned citizen,” said Michael Murphy, Chairman of Keep Beaufort County
Beautiful.
It all began with one brave
call to Beaufort County made by 89-year-old Beaufort County resident Betty Waskiewicz
to inform officials that the trees that lined the street at the time were
over-grown and unhealthy.
“I sat up there on the corner
at the street light and saw a tree that looked like a hay stack,” said Waskiewicz.
“I knew something had to be done and made the call.”
That small phone call led to a
huge collaborative project.
The grant was funded through Palmetto
Pride, of which Keep Beaufort County
Beautiful is affiliated. Several groups collaborated to complete the project
including Beaufort County, City of Beaufort, SCE&G, South Carolina
Department of Transportation (SCDOT), Bartlett Tree Experts, Horticultural
Management Services, Preservation Tree, Southern Palmetto Landscaping and
Southern Tree Services.
“What was so impressive was not
only the initiative of the grant, but also the strong sense of community and
collaboration,” said Cindy Carter, Information Coordinator for Beaufort County
Solid Waste and Recycling. Between the County and the City and all of the
partners who came together, it’s been remarkable.”
A full photo gallery from the event is available on the County’s
Facebook page.
For more information, visit
Keep Beaufort County Beautiful online here.
Michael Murphy, Chairman of Keep Beaufort County Beautiful
Jim Minor
Solid Waste
Director
843-255-2735
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