DNR’s Tree-Mendous Maryland Partners with Sierra Club in Trees for Schools Project in Montgomery County

Annapolis, MD — The Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ Tree-Mendous Maryland program, in partnership with the Montgomery County Sierra Club, is helping teachers and students in Montgomery County Public Schools plant native trees in their school yards through the Trees for Schools Project.

“Helping teachers and students plant trees in our school yards and communities exemplifies our efforts to ensure a smarter and greener Maryland,” said Governor Martin O’Malley. “I hope that schools in Montgomery County take advantage of this opportunity to give students hands-on experience restoring and learning about our environment.”

The Project, in its second year, will provide 6-foot tall native trees for school plantings this fall at no charge to the schools. Schools will also receive an age appropriate educational fact sheets about the benefits of trees for their students.

“No one is too young to learn the value of trees and there is no better way to learn that than planting a young tree and nurturing it into the future,” said Terry Galloway, Director of the Tree-Mendous Maryland Program. “Additionally, the project will help Montgomery County schools increase tree canopy in their communities and create healthier schoolyards for both children and wildlife.”

"At a time when students are increasingly aware of the challenges posed by global climate change, the Sierra Club is proud to support tree planting projects at our local schools,” said David Hauck, Chair of the Montgomery County Sierra Club Chapter. “By planting trees today, Montgomery County's students are showing their willingness to tackle global warming."

Interested schools should contact Terry Galloway at tgalloway@dnr.state.md.us, 410-260-8510 or visit www.dnr.maryland.gov/forests/treemendous, or contact Susan Eisendrath, Montgomery County Sierra Club at susan.eisendrath@gmail.com

DNR also reminds Marylanders to register every tree they plant at www.trees.maryland.gov.

Through Marylanders Plant Trees, the State is partnering with businesses, communities and citizens to help fund and plant new tree cover. Private citizens are being asked to plant 50,000 new trees by 2010. To encourage citizen participation, the State is offering $25 discount coupons for the purchase of native trees costing $50 or more. Whether taking advantage of the coupon program or not, citizens who plant new trees are asked to use the State’s new website, www.trees.maryland.gov – which offers valuable planting advice -- to register the trees they’ve planted and calculate their benefits.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 461,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries, and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic, and cultural resources attract 12 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov