Tree Planting Ceremony

You're invited! Click to enlarge

 The following press release is courtesy of Bob Jones Nature Center: http://www.bjnc.org/

Thank you for sharing this article with us, BJNC!

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Bob Jones Nature Center Wins Grant to Grow People’s Garden

Southlake, TX – September 10, 2012 – The Bob Jones Nature Center (BJNC) announced that it has received a $2,470 grant from the national nonprofit Alliance for Community Trees to plant trees at three Carroll ISD elementary school gardens in Southlake.  The schools are Jack D. Johnson Elementary, Old Union Elementary, and Rockenbaugh Elementary. These sites will be considered local People’s Gardens, part of the nationwide network of gardens supported by the USDA People’s Garden Initiative. 

The Alliance for Community Trees (ACTrees) People’s Garden Grant Program is a new national initiative launched in 2012 to explore and deepen the connection between trees and urban agriculture. With support from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, ACTrees has provided funding to 30 communities in 21 states to plant trees that produce fruit and nuts or provide shelter to community gardens.

“Trees are critical to healthy people and healthy communities,” said ACTrees Executive Director Carrie Gallagher. “We are excited to offer this opportunity to the Bob Jones Nature Center and the three schools to demonstrate locally that trees are an integral part of sustainable community agriculture.”

Each selected school includes kindergarteners through fourth graders who participate in hands-on garden activities.  Through these hands-on experiences students recognize the basic needs of plants and environmental factors affecting plant growth.  Each school will be receiving trees to provide a shade component to their gardens. Planting is planned for October 2012. The Bob Jones Nature Center is also working with the Citizen Forester program of the Cross Timbers Urban Forestry Council.  The program presents an opportunity for individuals to become skilled at planting, pruning, and maintaining trees in an urban environment. It also provides interested persons with the chance to get involved with local city and county agencies and help their community take care of its public trees. Tree plantings for Old Union and Rockenbaugh Elementary Schools are planned for Tuesday, October 23.  Johnson Elementary tree planting is scheduled for Thursday, October 25.

About the Bob Jones Nature Center

The Bob Jones Nature Center (BJNC) is a 501c3 non-profit organization working in association with the City of Southlake at the Bob Jones Nature Center & Preserve and is dedicated to the preservation of the Cross Timbers ecosystem and natural resources, offering   programs and classes for all ages.  The Preserve, a City of Southlake park, is located at 355 E. Bob Jones Road in Southlake.  The park is open seven days a week from 7:00am to 8:00pm (during daylight savings time) and is the gateway to miles of equestrian and hiking trails on the Walnut Grove National Recreation Trail. The Visitor Center is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9:00am to 5:00pm. For more information, call 817.939.1110 or e-mail director@bjnc.org.  The phone number for the facility is 817.491.6333.

About Alliance for Community Trees

Alliance for Community Trees (ACTrees) is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the health and livability of cities by planting and caring for trees. With over 200 member organizations in 44 states and Canada, ACTrees engages volunteers to take action to improve the environment where 93% of people live: in cities, towns and metropolitan areas. Together ACTrees member organizations have planted and cared for over 15 million trees in cities with help from over 5 million volunteers. For more information, please visit www.ACTrees.org, follow us on Twitter @alliance4trees, and like us on Facebook at facebook.com/AllianceforCommunityTrees.

About USDA People’s Garden

The USDA People's Gardens Initiative is a national program with the vision that the simple act of planting a garden can help unite neighborhoods in a common effort and inspire locally-led solutions to challenges facing our country - from hunger to the environment. Learn more at www.usda.gov/peoplesgarden

About Citizen Foresters

Citizen Forester volunteers are committed to helping their community take care of its public trees.  Trained to plant, prune and properly maintain trees in an urban environment, Citizen Foresters are involved with many projects, including assisting with tree inventories, training and pruning newly established trees, measuring street trees for clearance, mulching trees in public parks, and participating in public tree planting programs and tree give-away events.  The Citizen Forester program is sponsored by the Cross Timbers Urban Forestry Council.  For more information call (817)392-5738 or visit the Cross Timbers Urban Forestry Council’s website, www.ctufc.org.  The Cross Timbers Urban Forestry Council (CTUFC) is a non-profit organization promoting urban forestry programs, education and awareness in a 17-county region.  CTUFC is comprised of members from various backgrounds drawn to the organization because of a love of trees and the role they play in our urban environment.

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We would love to see you at our tree planting ceremony on Tuesday, October 23, right after school. Students will read portions of the program, the choir will sing a song, and the Boy and Girl Scouts will be there! Refreshments will also be provided.  

See you there!