 In Minnesota, the Department of Natural Resources recognizes May as National Arbor Month. For this week's Golden Apple, Hady Clotter shows us how students at Clearbrook Gombeck School are contributing by planting trees. Clearbrook Gombeck School has a 360-acre school forest in their neck of the woods. Agriculture education teacher Kim Anderson says it's the largest school forest in the state. There aren't very many trees on this specific property, and so we decided that it would be an opportunity that we could plant some trees and build a shelter belt. Fourth, fifth and sixth graders planted the trees with the assistance of upperclassmen and foresters. This day provided the seedlings for the school's forest for Minnesota's Arbor Month and to teach students about how trees grow. Trees are always a good thing in the community, an area like this where there's a lot of open land, it sure is nice to have trees, helps educate the children about having trees and the things that trees are good for. Upperclassmen like Brandon Quirin help the younger students plant trees, which included digging a hole and properly putting the tree into the ground. I think they learned that the tree planting is important, you know, for the soil around here. Our soil isn't the best up at the school grounds and the tree should help put some of the nutrients back into it. This worked quickly. Within 30 minutes, 100 spruce trees and 100 white cedar trees were planted. This is their land, this is where they're going to end up, this is where they're going to raise their kids and so to take care of that, you know, it's a really important part of living. For the students that eventually want to work in natural resources, the school forest program gives them that connection. It gives students a good idea of what they can do not only at their own homes but also in the community. You know, planting trees is a great activity for them so to show them how to do that, you know, it gives them a lifelong skill that they'll always know. The Clearwater Soil and Water Conservation District is also giving a variety of trees to every elementary student in the district. Now these young foresters can plant a tree of their own. For this week's Golden Apple and Clearbrook, Hady Clodder, Lakeland News. If you've enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland Public Television.