A Labor of Love at Salem’s Riverfront Park

Employees of the State Dept. of Ag plant trees to honor retiring friend-

Toiling near the statue of former Governor Tom McCall, it was an efficient operation along the Willamette River Wednesday, as employees of the Oregon Department of Agriculture—with help from the Salem Parks Department—provided some needed bank reinforcement by planting about 100 trees on the shoreline of the city’s Riverfront Park in just a few hours.

Tom McCall statue in Salem’s Riverfront Park

Governor McCall—an avid outdoorsman and nature lover—would have been proud.

The tree planting is a real plus for the park—which attracts hundreds of people most days to walk, bike and otherwise enjoy the open spaces provided.  But what most local residents don’t know is that the project was actually a salute to a retiring Agriculture employee in charge of such work.

Cheryl Hummon is stepping down after serving for years as the agency’s Riparian Specialist—who focuses on shoreline plant management along the state’s streams.

Cheryl Hummon (left); Cheryl flanked by Beth Pietrzak (L) and Craig Capomaggi (R)

Cheryl’s friend and fellow employee Beth Pietrzak was the brainchild of the project, and said it was a great way to recognize and celebrate Hummon’s excellence in her work.

“It seemed like a worthy retirement commemoration,” said Pietrzak.

Armed with shovels and strong muscles, the 10-12 employees dug holes and planted a wide variety of trees, ranging from maples, to dogwoods, to a subspecies of Ponderosa Pine that is native to the Willamette Valley.

State Agriculture Crews planting trees (left); A planted sapling (right).

Hummon was deeply honored by the work—which she happily participated in.

“It is one of the most significant projects I have had the pleasure of being a part of,” she declared.

Jason Eck was also part of the department’s planting crew.

“It’s a neat thing to plant these trees,” Eck said with a smile.

“We all live here (in the Salem area), so we can come by and see those trees growing—it’s great.”

Most of the Agriculture Department’s planting crew.

Eck and Pietrzak say they also expect that Cheryl—the honoree—will check out the trees as she walks and bikes in Riverfront Park during her retirement.

The tree planting is a significant way to strengthen the river banks and to reduce problems like erosion and excessive run off into streams across Oregon.  The tree planting process also helps maintain clean water for fish and other aquatic life.

The salute to Cheryl Hummon is actually a gift to the citizens of Salem.

Many thanks to Beth Pietrzak for most of the photos used in this story