40,000 Trees to be Planted During National NeighborWoods Month 2011
Last updated 10/5/2011 11:38:36 AM
40000 Trees to be Planted During National NeighborWoods Month 2011
In more than 150 cities around the USA, local nonprofit organizations and their partners will participate in this year's National NeighborWoods™ Month, organized by Alliance for Community Trees and sponsored by the USDA Forest Service, TD Bank, and Boise ASPEN's Project UP. After this year's many devastating storms destroyed towns and leveled trees across the country, now is the time for concerned residents to replant and return the benefits of trees to their recovering communities.
Throughout October, thousands of people and community groups will roll up their sleeves and get to work to green their cities. Last year during NeighborWoods™ Month, over 26,000 volunteers helped to plant 41,000 trees to improve neighborhoods nationwide. This October, tree planting projects, tree maintenance and stewardship programs, training activities, and educational seminars are among the hundreds of events planned for NeighborWoods™ Month.
Around the country, people are taking action to strengthen their communities and address pressing concerns through smart solutions like trees and green infrastructure. They are measurably improving their quality of life with every tree they plant. Trees have remarkable economic, environmental, and health benefits for our communities.
For example:
- Just three strategically placed trees can decrease utility bills by up to 50%
- Childhood asthma rates are lower in neighborhoods with healthy tree cover
- Planting trees at residential homes can increase property values by 10% or more
- An acre of trees each year absorbs the amount of carbon produced by driving a car 26,000 miles
"This year's outstanding NeighborWoods™ Month celebration is a reflection of a growing movement for green cities. Dozens of major cities have declared city-wide tree canopy goals, involving residents and the private sector to plant and care for trees," said Carrie Gallagher, executive director of Alliance for Community Trees. "People everywhere are looking for simple, affordable ways to go green and improve their communities. Just by shading a home, energy use can be cut by a third. The same shade tree will clean the air and enhance your home's curb appeal. These are benefits everyone appreciates."
NeighborWoods™ Month is made possible through generous support from the USDA Forest Service, TD Bank, and Boise ASPEN's Project UP.
For information about 2011 National NeighborWoods™ Month events, see: www.NeighborWoodsMonth.org and follow @NeighborWoods on Twitter.