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Base beautification revs up with Sumter support and 1,000 new trees

  • Published
  • By Terry Madewell
  • 20th Civil Engineer Squadron
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  Former Sumter Mayor Stephen Creech visited Shaw March 14 to plant the final tree for a base beautification project.

There were 1,000 longleaf pine seedlings planted across the base to continue the process of going "green."

While the base has made great strides in recent years with buildings and base beautification improvements, he has always wanted to help out more, he said.

Creech recently had the opportunity to re-focus his long term goal of supporting Shaw through a multi-year base tree beautification process.

"When I retired as mayor I was immediately asked to be chairman of the Military Affairs Committee for the Sumter Chamber of Commerce, a position I still hold today," he said. "I was excited to hold that office because it has enabled me to become even more involved in Sumter's support of Shaw."

The Sumter leader has always envisioned a plan for the base. His plan begins with small steps but will eventually pay major dividends in terms of the overall aesthetics and beauty of the base, according to Creech.

"I care deeply about Shaw and can see in my mind a base beautification process that will restore the natural green beauty to the base," Creech said.

The process starts with building what was lost in a natural disaster in 1995. "I believe trees are an essential part of any large beautification process, and we took a terrible blow during Hurricane Hugo," Creech said. "I believe there were $52 million in damage from that storm at Shaw alone. There was a lot of structural damage, but I have recognized over the years that much of the former beauty of Shaw literally vanished overnight because of the loss of the beautiful trees destroyed during that storm. Trees are crucial to the environment and local beautification in Sumter, just as it is at Shaw."

After a trip to Seymour Johnson, N.C., Creech noticed the beautiful trees, and he started to think of a way he could help Shaw through a tree planting effort.

When Creech returned to Sumter he talked with Bo Shaw, owner of American Forest Management, which Creech described as one of the largest private forestry consulting corporations in America. Creech said Bo Shaw's response was immediate and positive.

"He readily agreed with the need for additional trees at Shaw, and he quickly said he would purchase and donate 1,000 trees to the base," Creech said. "Plus, we've discussed this being a multi-year project to further enhance the base's beautification. So in that sense, we have joined together in this effort for Shaw."

It's a joint endeavor to help erase the scars of natural disaster.

"I am on the base frequently ,and there are many places that previously had beautiful trees that are now void, open areas because of Hurricane Hugo," Creech said. "I think the planting of these and future trees is key to the greening of Shaw and the base beautification process."

Creech said he approached 20th Fighter Wing Commander, Col. Charlie Moore, with the idea and was met with quick acceptance.

"Colonel Moore immediately saw the planting of trees on Shaw as a great way to help beautify the base," Creech said.

"I'd like to think that someday some Airman will be walking around on Shaw, long after those of us who started this project have moved on and say, 'Wow, the trees on this base are awesome,'" Creech said. "That's the legacy we'd like to see from this project."