PLATTSMOUTH – The Nebraska Memorial Forest gained momentum this fall at the Horning state research farm where 50 trees are serving as a living memorial to Cass County’s fallen military and first-responder heroes.

Jim Meier, director of Honor and Remember Nebraska, said plantings for the Nebraska Memorial Forest started two years ago with a goal of 7,500 trees in groves of 50 or more. A total of 1,400 trees are already growing at locations in 15 counties.

Plattsmouth Mayor Paul Lambert spoke at the statewide Memorial Forest’s first dedication.

 

Lambert: “I want to tell you I’m here to pay a little bit on a debt that I’ll never be able to repay and that’s what these people sacrificed, these heroes sacrificed, for us.”

The grove was planted a year ago at the border of the 240-acre Horning Farm and the Pleasant Ridge Cemetery.

Farm supervisor Andrew Zahn said it will be under the care of the Nebraska Forest Service.

Zahn: “It was a great opportunity. Our next door neighbor is the cemetery. There was a fence that separated the two properties at one time, but this opportunity allowed us to remove that fence and now this memorial forest is open to the public and can be visited by anyone that’s interested.”

 

 

Bill Worlein, cemetery president and an American Legion commander, urges completion of the memorial forest.

Worlein: “As with any veteran, one veteran always considers another veteran a brother or sister. We call ourselves brothers and sisters in arms because we went in. We gave that blank check to the U.S. government- said here’s our life, use it as you need it. Take it if you need to.”

 

Jim Meier  said each of trees is matched to a fallen hero by tag, QR code and GPS tracking on the website.

Meier: “Well my vision is that people – all people, all Nebraskans and people from other states – will adopt a tree, get to know that fallen hero and get to know their lives because you die twice, when your heart doesn’t beat anymore  and when nobody says your name anymore.

Other Memorial Forest locations include Omaha, Lincoln, Sarpy County, Valentine, Bassett and South Sioux City.