Girl Scouts from four states plant 5,500 trees in two weekends!

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FALL 2006 - More than 500 Girl Scouts, their parents, and siblings from the Hemlock and Chesapeake Bay Girl Scout Councils planted trees in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. The planting events were part of a kickoff for the Trees for the 21st Century initiative whose mission it is to plant vast numbers of trees throughout all fifty states and beyond. The Girl Scouts were also planting as part of their goal to earn an “Improve your Footprint” patch, which they will receive when they have completed the expectations of their service-learning curriculum. The Trees for the 21st Century program will have more planting events in Spring 2007.

Where did our inspiration for planting trees come from?

The Motivation: Thirty years ago, Wangari Maathai from Kenya, Africa was concerned that 90% of her forest had been chopped down. Soil erosion was devastating her country as a result. The women, whose job it was to look for firewood for their families, had to search for hours to find mere branches. Wangari took action. On June 5th, 1977 on World Environment Day, she planted nine trees in her backyard and founded the Green Belt Movement whose mission it is to restore Africa’s forests, put an end to the poverty that deforestation was causing, and recognize the intimate and fundamental link between the environment, democracy, and peace.  Wangari gathered women from all over the country and empowered them to plant 30 million trees. In 2004, Wangari Maathai won the Nobel Peace Prize for her extraordinary contribution to sustainable development, democracy, and peace.

Thanks to all of our program sponsors.

Our Partners :

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay Council
Hemlock Girl Scout Council
Stroud Water Research Center

Where did we plant?

Red Musser Farm, Elizabethtown, PA
South Middleton Park, Boiling Springs, PA
Holy Saviour Cemetery, Jennersville, PA
Jacobus Farm, Machipongo, VA
Bloomfield Farm, Centreville, MD

What were the tree planting events like?
“First I signed my name on a scroll at the check in table that was going to be given to Wangari Maathai in person. Then I put on my “Trees for the 21st Century” T-shirt that has the patch right on it. After a bunch of us had collected near the field, we learned how simple and important planting a tree can be for the world. I planted my first tree in honor of my grandmother and the second, for my dog that died.  As I planted, I started thinking about how I was actually creating a habitat for animals, how my planting of trees could do something as big as purify the air above and the water of a nearby stream. I was very careful not to plant my tree too deep but just level with the earth or a bit higher. Some kids were putting larger protective shelters over their trees than others. I learned that we were conducting an experiment to see which trees and which shelters work best for that planting site so that the next time we plant, we will know what works best. I was planting in Pennsylvania near a stream while my friend was planting in Virginia in a farmer’s field that they are restoring into a wetland. This is definitely a cool project! Soon I will receive a Stewardship Award signed by Wangari Maathai herself! She knows all about the Trees for the 21st Century project and is very excited that we will keep planting”

Stay tuned for future planting information!

Contact us for further information on future planting events.