Ford’s contribution will help city leaders once again achieve Tree City USA status.
The Marshall Area Economic Development Alliance (MAEDA) is applauding the city of Marshall’s efforts to plant hundreds of new trees and its steps toward earning Tree City USA recognition once again.
The city is able to plant new trees with the help of a $25,000 donation from Ford Motor Co. Officials are asking city residents to submit a request to the city’s website for trees so they can determine feasible sites for new trees.
The Ford donation will help the city reach its long-held goal of replacing and adding trees along city streets and in parks, which help provide shade, natural beauty, clean air, and higher property values, across neighborhoods and the downtown district.
“It’s exciting to see steps toward a greener Marshall with the help of our new neighbors at Ford,” said Ryan Traver, a member of the Marshall City Council. “This tree-planting effort is a long-term investment in the city that will benefit our homes, businesses and neighborhoods long into the future.”
The Tree City USA program provides communities with a framework to maintain and grow their tree cover. It also gives them an avenue to celebrate their work, showing residents and visitors they are invested in protecting our land, air and water.
“We are hearing from many people in our community who are excited about the opportunity to have new trees added across the city,” said Derek Perry, the manager of the city of Marshall. “This planting effort wouldn’t be possible without the support of our partners at Ford.”
Ford’s investment in new trees in Marshall is among its nearly $450,000 in contributions to the community to benefit a variety of beloved facilities and attractions in Calhoun County, with more to come. Donations have benefited the Brooks Memorial Fountain in Marshall, the Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek and the historic Bohm Theater in Albion.
This is the second tree-planting effort in Marshall this year. In May, MAEDA announced the addition of more than 1,000 trees and hundreds of shrubs at the Marshall Area Jobs Opportunity and Recreation (MAJOR) Campus, home of BlueOval Battery Park Michigan. That effort planted 1,067 trees and hundreds of shrubs, including White Spruce, White Pine, Dawn Redwood and six other varieties.
Ford is building BlueOval Battery Park Michigan, which will create 1,700 jobs and millions of dollars in new tax revenue when production at the Marshall facility starts in 2026. The automaker recently launched a new website with details about the facility, information about job openings and background on its community outreach efforts.
Construction is progressing at Ford’s BlueOval Battery Park Michigan with hundreds of workers currently on the site. Also, it should be noted that roughly 500 acres of the site will remain green space including over 240 acres along the Kalamazoo River which is a dedicated conservation easement and potentially a future recreational trail that will be incorporated into the North Country Trail.