Facts about trees
Things to know from the Tennessee Environmental Council:› Studies indicate communities with more trees have less crime.› Planting 30 trees each year offsets greenhouse gases from your car and home.› In 50 years, one tree provides $130,750 in total benefits, including oxygen, air pollution control and stormwater drainage.› The U.S. Forest Service found that more than 2 million acres of Tennessee’s native forests were cut and more than 500,000 acres of forest were converted to other uses.
Did you know?
The Tennessee Environmental Council has a goal of planting or caring for 1 million native trees in Tennessee. Since 2007, the nonprofit organization has planted 150,000 trees. The 100,000th tree was planted in Athens, Tenn., on Nov. 11, 2014.Source: tectn.org/programs/tree
The Tennessee Environmental Council has good news and bad news regarding its second annual 50K Tree Day, Tennessee’s largest tree-planting event.
First the bad news: The 50,000 trees to be given away have been spoken for, so you can’t lay claim to any of the five natives that were available in bundles of bare-root seedlings: shumard (red) oak, tulip (yellow) poplar, Virginia pine, redbud and flowering dogwood.
The good news: There are 4,000 trees to be planted in Tennessee state parks, and any citizen can help. In fact, more than 3,600 volunteers from 80 counties are already signed on for the mass planting on Saturday, Feb. 27, according to the TEC.
That includes six state parks near Chattanooga: Red Clay in Cleveland, Hiwassee/Ocoee in Delano, South Cumberland in Sequatchie, Cumberland Mountain in Crossville, Old Stone Fort in Manchester and Tims Ford in Winchester.
“People in Tennessee love planting trees, and it’s a top priority for our organization as a way to improve our environment, communities and public health,” says John McFadden, CEO of the Tennessee Environmental Council.
Saturday’s event, says the TEC news release, is “your chance to plant a tree in a state park that visitors will enjoy for generations to come.”
Most of the area parks are allotting from two to four hours for volunteers to do their business, but Tims Ford has issued a special challenge to its staff and volunteers to plant 125 trees in just one hour.
Volunteers at any of the sites are reminded that they should wear comfortable clothes they don’t mind getting dirty, work gloves and shoes suitable for outdoor duty. Bring water to stay hydrated while you work and maybe a snack if you’re involved in one of the longer plantings.
For more information, visit www.tectn.org/50ktreeday.
WHERE TO VOLUNTEER
* Cleveland: Red Clay State Historic Park, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Meet at the Visitor Center, 1140 Red Clay Park Road. There are 100 trees to be planted, and most of the holes will already be dug. Volunteers will simply put the seedling in the hole and cover the roots with soil. Contact: Erin Medley, 423-478-0339, erin.medley@tn.gov.
* Manchester: Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. CST. Meet at the museum, 732 Stone Fort Drive. All digging materials will be provided. A limited supply of take-home trees will be available for those helping. Contact: Josh Waggener, josh.waggener@tn.gov.
* Crossville: Cumberland Mountain State Park, 10-11 a.m. CST. Meet at the park office, 24 Office Drive (931-484-6138). Some tools will be provided, but bring a shovel if you have one. Contact: Chip Hillis, chip.hillis@tn.gov.
* Winchester: Tims Ford State Park, 10 a.m.-noon CST. Meet at the Visitors Center, the large stone building at the entrance to the park, 570 Tims Ford Drive. The challenge here – to plant 125 trees in one hour – will kick off with refreshments and a brief meeting. Teams will break off and begin planting trees across the park at 11 a.m. Contact: Philip Hylen, 931-962-1183, 423-361-3185, philip.hylen@tn.gov.
* Sequatchie: South Cumberland State Park, 8 a.m.-noon CST. Meet at Foster Falls, 498 Foster Falls Road. Trees will be planted in the Foster Falls section of the Fiery Gizzard Trail in Marion County. Contact: Jessie McNeel, 931-924-2980, jessie.mcneel@tn.gov.
* Delano: Hiwassee/Ocoee State Park, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Meet at the Gee Creek campground amphitheater, 404 Spring Creek Road. Programs are scheduled after trees are in the ground. Bring shovels if you have them. Contact: Angelo Giansante, 615-631-2916, Angelo.Giansante@tn.gov.