When Dan Greytak moved with his wife Jude to a home on the banks of the Carson River 20 years ago, he first thought he would work to help clean the river.
Instead, he made a career with the state as a plant materials specialist.
The Greytaks still live in their cozy white home surrounded by a garden of 15 fruit trees and meandering paths of plants. Their curious chickens and two roosters gingerly make their way around the greenery as the river creeps by nearby.
The two have used their expertise of trees and plants and a lot of their time teaching others about how to grow trees and gardens. The Greytaks will be recognized today with this year's George Washington Ferris award by the city for their past work and continued efforts with Carson's urban forest.
The city is also recognizing the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association, Nevada Chapter, with the award for their work planting trees in the Mills Park Memorial Aboretum.
The Carson City Shade Tree Council will hold its annual Arbor Day celebration and tree planting ceremony today at 5:30 p.m. at the Eagle Valley Golf Clubhouse in Centennial Park. The public is welcome and snacks will be available.
Dan Greytak, who worked for the State Division of Forestry for 23 years, served on the state's Shade Tree Council, a group that promoted communities to become involved in urban forestry. During that time, he helped Carson City form its own Shade Tree Council, which has flourished since. He also served six years on the city council.
Carson's efforts that have focused on spending a certain amount of money each year on landscaping and tree plantings has garnered recognition by the National Arbor Day Foundation that has named the city a Tree City USA for the past nine years.
In the past 20 years, Greytak said he has seen awareness grow.
"There's a lot more awareness in the kind of trees in public projects," he said.
"It has beautified Carson City," said Jude Greytak. "We want our town to be attractive and landscaping helps. Trees are becoming much more important."
Dan Greytak now works with the Washoe tribe doing mainly erosion control and environmental projects along the Carson and Clear Creek rivers. He also serves on the Carson River Advisory Committee, and both volunteer during Carson River Cleanup Days. They also supervise plantings and help clean up Clear Creek.
The couple moved to Carson from Los Angeles because they wanted to live somewhere "opposite" of the city, they said.
Teaching children about the importance of nature was important when their own son, Marty, 19, was growing up. They helped build the Habitat Garden at Fremont School with children and teachers.
"That's where we need to start so the future is a nice place," Jude Greytak said.
