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Beautify CNMI to plant commemorative tree tomorrow
Beautify CNMI will have a tree planting project tomorrow, Feb. 4, as one of their first projects as the group has just been revived.
According to one of Beautify CNMI’s founder, Angelo Villagomez, the tree planting will take place near the Oleai Beach Bar at 5pm.
The native tree that will be planted will commemorate the first decade of Beautify CNMI and kick off a second decade of community service. Interested members of the public are invited to attend.
Beautify CNMI, a diverse group of like-minded individuals whose common ground is to take care of the environment, was established in 2006.
They were also responsible for some of the several hundreds of flame trees around the island, most of which are now gone because of the devastation of Typhoon Soudelor.
“We’ve planted several hundred flame trees along Beach Road also in Koblerville and several other places around the island,” Villagomez said.
He also credited those who came first to plant the trees that have become a trademark and identity of the CNMI.
“The flame trees by the beach were actually started many, many years ago, in the ’60s, ’70s,” Villagomez said, “Somebody has always stepped up and planted flame trees but it’s actually something that’s existed for 30 years.”
Villagomez said that while it is sad that those trees were gone, it is our responsibility to beautify the CNMI again.
“They were blown away. It’s really sad how much this island lost from the typhoon. People lost their homes, and we lost one of the naturally beauty. But as caretakers of this island, it’s our responsibility to fix up that which was broken,” Villagomez said.
