Project Works to Revitalize Virginia’s State Arbor Day

In April of 2007, more than 1,500 Fourth Grade Foresters all across Virginia rolled up their sleeves and planted a tree. The kids became members of Fourth Grade Foresters of Virginia. The project goal is to help revitalize a remarkable idea--observation of Arbor Day in America’s schools.

This goal is accomplished by bringing the schools, businesses and citizens of each community together in an effort to send each fourth grader home with a tree of their own to plant and care for.

The project was created to provide a simple and inexpensive way for any individual, business or organization with the opportunity to sponsor the 4 th grade students at an elementary school in their community. For $1.59 per student, individually packaged 12”-18” evergreen tree seedlings sealed in polybags will be sent to the schools. Each package will include information about Virginia’s Arbor Day, planting and care instructions, and the name of the sponsor. There is absolutely no cost to the students, the teachers, the schools or the school districts.

This year Virginia’s Arbor Day falls on Friday, April 25th and Virginia has more than 110,000 Fourth Graders ready to become Fourth Grade Foresters. For more information on how to sponsor fourth graders in your community, simply call Sarah Henne at (866) 390-1428 or email her at sehenne@neb.rr.com.

Now in the era of global warming and air pollution, tree planting is even more important than ever. Trees take carbon dioxide (CO2) out of the atmosphere to help reduce warming and clean the air we breathe. Planting trees is a simple, inexpensive and easy way to address the problem.

The trees are packaged in workshops that employ adults with disabilities through the Free Trees and Plants project. Started in February, 2004, the www.freetreesandplants.com project obtains from growers and nurseries some of the millions of unsold plants that are destroyed each year, hires workers with disabilities to package them and then sends the plants to anyone who orders them at www.freetreesandplants.com. Consumers simply pay for processing and shipping costs.