Where will the trees be planted?

For our project, a roughly 9 acre plot is being prepared in Indiana PA where once was a surface mine that has since been closed/abandoned. We will help restore the terrain by putting thousands of trees in the soil and letting Mother Earth help them grow.

Where will the trees come from?

Pennsylvania has a vast nursery system where they grow indigieous plants and trees as part of its reforestation and beautification programs - Green Forests Work sources trees based upon the locale where events like this will be held - making sure they are right for the area being replanted.

Are these big/heavy potted trees like you get at a garden center?

Great Question! No, we plant seedlings which many are tiny twigs when they are first placed in the soil. When we first planted trees at Flight 93 we were amazed at how small the seedlings were when we were given our bucket to get started. It's hard to believe that each 5 gallon bucket is loaded with over 70 trees!

How many trees will be planted?

Over a 2 day event, over 5,000 trees will be put in the ground by groups like ours - we're planting on Friday and another group that will include IUP students will pickup on Saturday.

Do I have to have gardening experience to help?

Not at all - No experience is required! Once we arrive at the site we'll be instructed on the technique used to plant trees in accordance with best practices. The planting area will be 'ripped' to create an area where the soil will be ready to take on the new life.

How long will it take?

We generally plan for about 3 hours of planting and need to accomplish our portion of the project before breaking for the day. The seedlings will also be prepared for us and 'must be planted' on this day - rain or shine - or they won't survive. We'll break out into teams and work to 'empty our buckets' before we move on.

What is a dibble bar?

What a great and funny name! A dibble bar is the planting tool of choice for groups like ours - it's a metal bar that helps create a trough in the soil where a seedling will be placed, then used to 'seal' the ground to help surround the seedling with soil. We'll get a demonstration of how to use the dibble bar before we head out to plant.

I'm In! What should I wear?

Awesome! We'll be out in nature in the dirt on possibly rough terrain - so I'd wear good work clothes, dress in layers and wear sturdy shoes or boots. We plant rain or shine, so a rain coat would be a good idea in case we see some April Showers.

Why is this event being planned?

Our daughter Emma loved her Mother Earth and we're sure tree planting would be part of her life if she was with us today. We believe it's our duty to give Love to our Mother Earth and tree planting is one of the best things we can do for the future. Over the past 10 years, our foundation has planted thousands of trees to help purify the air, soil and water that we depend on. We'd love you to be part of Emma's legacy.

Are you ready to join us?