During its annual Trees and Utilities National Conference in April, the National Arbor Day Foundation named East Central Energy, a Tree Line USA utility. The award recognizes ECE for its quality tree care program, annual worker training in quality tree care practices and tree planting and public education programs. The photo features, from left, ECE's LeRoy Thurn, vice president, operations and engineering; Leroy Herrick, right-of-way assistant, and Dave Auchter, right-of-way forester, receiving the award from Dan Lambe, programs vice president, National Arbor Day Foundation.
Mike Carroll (middle), director of forestry, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources presented the DNR's Tree Line award to Dave Auchter (right), right-of-way forester, East Central Energy and Andy Olson (left), contract forester, Environmental Consultants, Inc., during the recent award ceremony at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen, Minn.
Dave Arola, principal, Pine City Elementary School, Pine City, Minn. (holding governor's proclamation) and Dave Auchter, right-of-way forester, East Central Energy, (alongside Arola) led the school's sixth graders in the 2005 Arbor Day program. The principal read Governor Tim Pawlenty's Arbor Day Proclamation, Auchter and the kids planted a tree, and two of ECE's contract arborists -- Chris Storlie, One-Way Tree Service, and Andy Olson, Environmental Consultants, Inc. -- demonstrated how they climb and prune trees to keep branches away from power lines.
Arbor Day Foundation honors East Central Energy
Member-owned utility receives Tree Line USA award BRAHAM, Minn. - The National Arbor Day Foundation has named East Central Energy (ECE) a Tree Line USA utility. Of the 864 electric cooperatives nationwide, ECE is one of only 20 that received the award. The Arbor Day foundation sponsors the Tree Line program in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters to recognize utilities that meet three requirements: a program for quality tree care, annual worker training in quality tree care practices and a tree planting and public education program.
In addition to the national award, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources presented its state Tree Line USA award to ECE.
As part of its ongoing commitment to public education, tree planting, and quality tree care, each year ECE helps with children's activities at an annual Arbor Day celebration in its service area. This year Dave Auchter, ECE's right-of-way forester, planted a tree with sixth graders at Pine City Elementary School, Pine City, Minn. for Arbor Day. As an added feature of the program, ECE's contract arborists, Chris Storlie, One-Way Tree Service, and Andy Olson, Environmental Consultants, Inc., demonstrated how they climb and prune trees to keep branches away from power lines.
East Central Energy www.eastcentralenergy.com is a member-owned electric cooperative serving more than 54,000 homes, farms and businesses in east central Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin. ECE also provides Internet and long distance services.
