(Radio Iowa) – In honor of Arbor Day, community leaders in Dubuque will break ground Saturday on what will eventually grow to become a community orchard. Laura Roussell, executive director of Dubuque Trees Forever, says they’ll plant a few fruit trees this weekend with plans to add between 15 and 20 more trees over the coming few years. Roussell says, “We’re going to have apple, cherry and pear, and also some berry bushes like a honey berry, raspberry, maybe blueberry, we haven’t finalized the whole list yet.” The triangular plot of land is considered a city park, but it’s never been developed. Where some saw empty ground, Roussell saw an opportunity.

“We had this vacant lot that’s just been mowed for many, many years, and we thought, this is located in a food desert, and we thought it would be a great place to have free, fresh fruit for the people in the neighborhood,” Roussell says, “and also any leftovers would go to the food pantry.” In addition to the fruit trees, the community orchard will also include what Roussell is calling a Mowing to Monarchs pollinator garden to benefit bees, butterflies and other important insects. She hopes this orchard marks the start of something special that’ll endure for decades.

“We get volunteers that sign up to plant, weed, mulch, all of those things, so that that trees that we plant will have a long and successful life,” Roussell says. “It’s just going to be a really beautiful — and edible — addition to the neighborhood.”

The public is invited to Saturday’s 10 A-M free event at the corner of Hill and Caledonia Streets.