Through their “Project Plant It!” program, Dominion Energy plans to give out 60,000 redbud seedlings to students in 2018.
According to a release, Project Plant It! is a free program to “teach children about the important role of trees in the ecosystem, is now open across regions served by the company,” stated a release.
The program is done through Dominion’s philanthropic arm, and the free seedlings are given to the students in honor of Arbor Day.
“Project Plant It! is one of the many ways Dominion Energy supports education and invests in local communities. When it’s time to celebrate Arbor Day on April 27, 2018, Dominion Energy will have distributed 500,000 tree seedlings to participants since 2007 – an exciting milestone. This innovative tree-planting program for children aligns with our mission to promote environmental stewardship in a fun, meaningful and memorable way,” stated Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation President Hunter Applewhite in a release.
So far, they’ve given out more than 500,000 tree seedlings since 2007, and they plan to distribute the 60,000 this year – a 20% bump from last year.
More information on how to request the seedlings, from a release:
The program is available for children of all ages and grade levels, including those in schools, scout troops, civic and church groups, environmental clubs and other entities that work with youth. A hallmark of the program is the distribution of free tree seedlings to all enrolled participants in honor of Arbor Day.
Educators, group leaders and parents who are interested in participating can register by going to www.projectplantit.com and clicking on “Request Your Free Tree Seedlings” from the home page. If the zip code is confirmed as being in an eligible area, free redbud tree seedlings can be requested. Seedlings will be shipped to arrive in time for Arbor Day. The deadline to register is February 19, 2018 or while supplies last.
Spring 2018 marks the 12th year of Project Plant It! since the program launched in 2007. This year, to further engage children about trees in the ecosystem, a new lesson plan about conservation of natural resources has been added to the Educator’s Guide on the website. The Guide now includes 12 lesson plans that support third-grade learning standards for math, science, language arts and social studies. All of the lesson plans can be downloaded at no charge from www.projectplantit.com, and they can be adapted easily to grade levels from preschool through college.
In addition to the lesson plans, the website features free instructional tools such as interactive games and educational videos about trees, along with a variety of outdoor activities that families can enjoy together.
