DAPHNE, Ala. — Volunteers and city workers on Saturday planted a total 84 trees at Daphne Elementary and W.J. Carroll Intermediate schools, with funding from the Auburn University’s Hurricane Ivan Urban Community Forestry Grant Program, according to Marshall Parsons, the city’s horticulturist.

The group planted river birch, live oak, and bald cyprus species at the schools located on opposite ends just off Main Street.

“It’s great to have the city and the parents working together to beautify the campus,” Daphne Elementary Principal Jan Palmer said.

Daphne Elementary received 30 trees, according to a news release from Mayor Fred Small’s office.

“It’s nice to see the community step up,” W.J. Carroll Principal Dana Horst said. “We have (everyone from) senior citizens to children out here helping.”

W.J. Carroll received 54 trees, according to the city’s release.

Auburn University’s Hurricane Ivan Urban Community Forestry Grant Program had awarded the city $14,940 with a match of $700 cash and $6,000 in-kind labor, according to a news release that said the city was able to purchase 120 hurricane-resistant trees.

The trees will help repopulate the school’s lost vegetation from Hurricane Ivan in 2004. “The trees at the schools were (really) beat up,” Parsons said.

In order to receive the grant, the city had to work with local schools and verify a need for the trees, Pam Jones, Daphne Elementary assistant principal said.

“We had several of our pecan trees damaged from (Hurricane) Katrina,” she said.

The trees were purchased from Corte farms, according to Parsons. They were selected from a list of hurricane-resistant trees, which can be viewed at the Alabama Forestry web site.

The tree planting program will continue at 8 a.m. this Saturday, at Daphne East Elementary and Daphne Middle School.

Volunteers can show up at the scene and help.

Daphne East will receive 15 trees; Daphne Middle will receive 21, according to organizers.

For more information, contact Parsons at the Daphne’s Public Works Department, call 621-3182.