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Team Shaw, Sumter community fortify local ecosystem

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Zade Vadnais
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  Dozens of pink flags line a lonely road on a chilly Saturday morning. Flurries of snow fall lazily from the gray sky as volunteers ranging from elementary school-aged Cub Scouts to field grade officers plant Longleaf Pine saplings next to each and every flag.

The saplings may not be very impressive now. In fact, the neon flags next to each newly-planted tree are the only things distinguishing them from the surrounding grass. Within a few short decades, however, the trees will have grown tall and strong, providing Shaw with valuable shade, ecological diversity and natural beauty for generations to enjoy.

"This beautification project is a partnership between the Sumter community and the wing," said Ronald June, 20th Civil Engineering Squadron chief of natural cultural resources. "Hurricane Hugo came in 1989 and damaged the base and all of Sumter County severely, so this is kind of a recovery effort from way back then."

Stephen Creech, a former mayor of Sumter and chairman of the Sumter Chamber of Commerce military affairs committee, worked with Bo Shaw, owner of American Forest Management, to secure a donation of 500 Longleaf Pine saplings. The saplings were planted at various locations around the base over a three-day period by volunteers from Team Shaw as well as Boy and Cub Scouts from local troops and packs.

June said Longleaf Pines were chosen because they are native to South Carolina and provide habitats for more than 30 endangered species, including the Red-cockaded Woodpecker.

"There's a big push everywhere to restore Longleaf Pines to the native range," said Aaron Souto, 20th CES base forester. "They were kind of cut out of here and replaced with more commercial trees years ago. Now there's a state-wide push to replace those more commercial pines with longleaf pines."

Longleaf pines are highly resistant to fire, and rely on forest fires to destroy competition when growing in the wild. In recent years, humans have all but eliminated forest fires and longleaf pines have been largely outcompeted by other trees. When planted in an urban setting, however, the longleaf pine can thrive without relying on forest fires and provide a host of benefits to the local ecosystem.

"In urban settings we plant trees near parking lots and roadways to provide shade to cool the asphalt down," said Souto. "This cools down runoff water which can be considered a pollutant due to temperature rises it can cause in creeks and other bodies of water. They also attenuate noise and help with wind in a lot of areas."

While the full benefits of the trees won't be reaped for a few years, the more immediate impact of the project is evident in the enthusiasm it bred among the young Cub and Boy Scouts who volunteered to help plant the saplings.

"I just think that we should plant more trees," said Garrett Oakden, a Cub Scout with pack 320. "I don't think we should go cutting down trees. We should all try and care about the environment a little more."

A project of this size takes considerable planning and coordination between several independent agencies in order to be successful. Although the saplings are less than a foot tall now, in time they will grow to represent the relationship between Shaw and the Sumter community; strong, resilient and deeply-rooted.

"This was a big undertaking but it's a good project and we appreciate the Sumter community's involvement and support and everyone who's contributed to making it happen," said June. "It's a good project all around and it will help the base for years to come."