National Wildlife Photo Contest entry by Helen Anderson.

Branching Out for Wildlife

Volunteers plant trees in Ohio’s Wayne National Forest.

In Clermont, Flordia, 300 trees were planted to support the Florida Scrub-Jay (an threatened species). Boy and Girl Scouts, students for the local elementary school and adult volunteers worked together to improve wildlife habitat, by planting more food sources and places for the jays to raise their young. These birds — unlike the common bluejay — are less afraid of humans and enjoy some interaction, as 10-year-old volunteer Lauren discovered. Our volunteers planted scrub oaks, red cedars and longleaf pine trees.

In Mukilteo, Washington, about 40 kids and their parents planted about 200 conifer trees on March 23, a beautiful sunny day. When participants arrived to do the planting, Mukilteo Community Development Director Patricia Love welcomed volunteers and explained why we were planting trees, as team members demonstrated how to plant and talked about the benefits of the trees to forest animals. Planting in a forest understory is not the easiest type of planting to do, but the kids were enthusiastic and planted from one to 10 plants each.

Children from the Harbour Pointe Middle School who were there to perform community service helped during the two-hour event, but most kids planted and then did a scavenger hunt or vice versa. All the plants were planted and each planter was given flagging to tie onto the tree limbs to locate the plants for follow-up maintenance. Planting western red cedars, western hemlocks and grand firs will add to the evergreen forest of the this northwest community and help with water quality for the Puget sound.

Planting trees continues to be a vital way to make a difference for not only wildlife but future generations, who will have a cleaner and better environment due to our work today. You can still donate today to help wildlife and those future generations>>

Aspens in Grand Teton National Park. National Wildlife Photo Contest entry by William Wiley.

NWF can assist you each step of the way in organizing a tree planting event, from helping to figure out the right time to plant to advising on what native species to use, (GO NATIVE!) to helping you involve friends and community members.

I am challenging youth of all ages to make a commitment to help wildlife and our planet by organizing a service project at their school or in their community to plant trees.

Friends, family and community members can help as well. Donate today to NWF’s tree bank and help us provide trees to students to plant in their community.

We Need Trees!

Trees play a critical role in supporting so many other living things – human and wildlife alike.  Did you know…

• Trees clean the air: Trees absorb odors and pollutants and filter our air through their leaves and bark — our own built-in air purification system!
• Trees provide oxygen: Over the course of a year one acre of trees provides enough oxygen for 18 people.
• Trees save water AND help keep our water clean: Trees help to both reduce runoff and help to filter groundwater and the water in our streams. Shade from trees helps slow water evaporation so you don’t need to water your lawn as much.
• Trees provide jobs: Whether it is harvesting fruit, nuts, or other products from trees or using trees for clothing, tires and other products – trees provide jobs and help to sustain our economy.
• Trees are critical for wildlife: Trees provide many different species with food, cover and places to raise young and for some species are even their water source. Whether it is in the canopy or trunk or roots wildlife can be found both in living, dying and dead trees helping to keep our ecosystems balanced.

So take up our 2013 National Wildlife Week challenge to Branch out for Wildlife and help us plant 75,000 trees!