Get your hands dirty, help improve water quality, and leave a lasting mark on the landscape this Earth Day by helping Chesapeake Bay Foundation staff plant hundreds of trees on April 22 or April 23.
CBF is seeking volunteers to assist on either or both days of the major tree planting in Sabillasville, Maryland, about 30 minutes north of Frederick.
Volunteers will plant about 1,600 trees on 8 acres of farmland in the upper reaches of the Monocacy River watershed. As they grow and mature, the trees will naturally filter water running off the land, providing cleaner water for downstream residents in the Frederick area and improve the health of the larger Potomac River watershed.
The Friday, April 22 planting takes place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and volunteers can register here.
The Saturday, April 23 planting runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and volunteers can register here.
Volunteers must register in advance to receive the address and additional information about the planting.
Crews will pre-auger holes to assist with the planting process and volunteers are needed to transport small trees to the holes and cover their roots in soil. Volunteers can bring their own gloves and shovels, but CBF will also provide gloves or tools for those that don’t.
“This is a great opportunity to spend time outside, improve the environment, and celebrate Earth Day,” said David Tana, CBF’s Clagett Farm Partnership Manager. “You’ll also have the chance to learn about CBF’s work and the natural benefits of adding more trees to the landscape.”
The planting is happening in the Harbaugh Valley of the Catoctin Mountains near the headwaters of Friends Creek, an important tributary of the Monocacy River, which drains into the Potomac River. This will be the second planting by CBF at the site. Last year, staff and volunteers planted 2,400 trees on about 12 acres of land. This event will help complete a forested streamside buffer along the creek, which is stocked with trout by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
Volunteers are needed to plant a variety of species ranging from overstory trees such as American sycamore and mixed oaks to understory trees including redbuds and serviceberry as well as shrubs like winterberry and chokeberry to fill in the gaps. All the trees and shrubs being planted were grown in Maryland at CBF’s Clagett Farm tree nursery in Prince George’s County.
Funding for the tree planting is provided by WGL Energy and Sterling Planet’s Carbon Reduction Fund through their carbon offset program, which customers can enroll in to offset the emissions from their natural gas usage. Maryland Department of Agriculture is also helping to fund the work.
If you can’t make it either day to assist with this planting, CBF is also seeking volunteers to help pot trees at Clagett Farm throughout the year.
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