FACT SHEET ON COMMUNITY TREE PLANTING DAY IN MONTGOMERY HILLS Set for November 3, 2012 in Silver Spring, MD Event:
Conservation Montgomery/Casey Trees Community Tree Planting Day in Montgomery Hills, Silver Spring. The two nonprofit organizations will team up to coordinate an all-volunteer tree-planting day. Young native trees will be planted in the immediate neighborhood around Snider’s and the fire station. This planting date and another planting site off of East-West Highway in Silver Spring will mark the first time that Casey Trees will expand their work into Montgomery County. Montgomery County Council Member Valerie Ervin (Dem.- District 5) will be among local officials attending the event. Councilmember Ervin is one of Gov. Martin O’Malley’s appointees to the Chesapeake Bay Trust. Also confirmed to attend as of Sept. 23 is State Delegate Al Carr Ervin Carr who serves District 18.
Date and Time:
Saturday, November 3, 2012 from 9 a.m. until noon. Lunch for volunteers hosted by Conservation Montgomery will be served after planting.
Location:
Check-in and registration for volunteers will be in Public Parking Lot #12 directly across from Snider’s Superfoods. Snider’s is located at 1936 Seminary Road, Silver Spring, 20910
Purpose:
Trees are important to the health and well-being of communities and ultimately to the health of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Trees filter polluted air and capture carbon emissions. Trees divert or capture stormwater runoff that can pollute our streams and creeks. And trees provide all of us a sense of community and peace. Although Montgomery County’s tree canopy level on a countywide basis is at a healthy 50% level, sections of the county are sparsely covered by trees as a result of trees living out their natural life span, storm damage, disease, construction damage and development. A recent GIS tree canopy assessment showed that the Montgomery Hills section of Silver Spring has the lowest percentage of tree cover in the entire county: only 8%. In order to sustain an acceptable tree canopy, new trees must be planted constantly. According to the USDA Forest Service, the average life span of an urban tree is 15 years, and only about 30% of all trees planted will survive beyond 15 years.
Community Partners:
Conservation Montgomery, Casey Trees, Montgomery County Planning Department, Snider’s Superfoods, Armand’s, Fire Station #19, and Bethesda-based Finmarc Management (managers of the Seminary Place Shopping Center).
Volunteer Information:
All volunteers must register in advance and attend a brief training and safety session before planting. Student Service Learning (SSL) hours for middle and high school students can be earned at this event under Conservation Montgomery’s supervision. Contact Caren Madsen about SSL hours at CarenMadsen@msn.com To register, visit www.CaseyTrees.org and find the volunteer registration at this address: http://caseytrees.org/event/volunteerconservation-montgomery/
About Conservation Montgomery Founded in 2010, Conservation Montgomery, Inc. (CMI) is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and a charity approved for the Combined Federal Campaign of the National Capital Area. Conservation Montgomery is a coalition of civic and environmental organizations as well as individual residents addressing a broad spectrum of environmental and quality of life challenges facing Montgomery County over the next decade as the county approaches a population of one million. CMI serves as a forum and educational tool for county residents who want to work toward having:
Effective watershed protection and stormwater management Tree-lined streets -- and a tree and forest canopy that will provide environmental, economic and aesthetic benefits Workable solutions dealing with the impacts of climate change Energy-efficient homes, offices and businesses Sustainable transportation Pedestrian and bike-friendly neighborhoods Green public space and lush parks Responsive governance with land use decisions based on input all community stakeholders
CMI helps residents see the connections between livable communities and environmental stewardship and seeks to bridge the gaps between environmental issues currently addressed by environmental groups and the civic community. About Casey Trees Casey Trees is a Washington D.C.-based nonprofit, established in 2002, committed to restoring, enhancing and protecting the tree canopy of the nation’s capital. The organization has planted more than 10,000 trees in the nation’s capital over the past 10 years. To fulfill its mission, Casey Trees plants trees, engages thousands of volunteers of all ages in tree planting and care, provides year-round continuing education courses, monitors the city’s tree canopy, develops interactive online tree tools and works with elected officials, developers, community groups to protect and care for existing trees and to encourage the addition of new ones. Silver Spring resident Mark Buscaino, Executive Director of Casey Trees, was a founding board member of Conservation Montgomery and serves now on the Conservation Montgomery Advisory Council.
For more information: Caren Madsen Conservation Montgomery CarenMadsen@msn.com 240-793-4603