STAMFORD, Conn. – With the arrival of Arbor Day on Friday, Bartlett Tree Experts will give away more than 15,000 tree seedlings in communities across the U.S. These trees will be distributed as part of the Bartlett Legacy Tree Program, which has distributed over 436,000 tree seedlings since its inception seven years ago.
The Legacy Tree Program, celebrating its seventh anniversary, was established by Bartlett Tree Experts in 2014 to support tree planting and stewardship in local communities through the annual distribution of seedlings in schools, at events, and to reforestation efforts. In 2021, more than 50,000 trees will be distributed by Bartlett Tree Experts employees through the program. More than one-third of those seedlings are handed out or planted in the spring, primarily as part of Arbor Day and Earth Day festivities, events, and activities in a variety of locations.
“We encourage each of our Arborist Representatives to distribute a minimum of 100 seedlings each year, and many are so enthusiastic about the program that they go far beyond that number,” said Bartlett’s Patrick Franklin, who manages the program. “Our Arborists enjoy interacting with the public and love teaching people about the importance of planting trees. They also decide how their trees will be distributed. It’s an amazing way to bring trees and people together, while making a difference to improve our environment.”
As in years past, seedlings will be personally distributed by Bartlett Tree Experts in recognition of Arbor Day to students, community groups, and local reforestation efforts. This year, Bartlett will be distributing seedlings for reforestation in Malden, Wash. The small town south of Spokane in eastern Washington was left in ruins after fast-moving wildfire swept through the region last year.
“We have always been involved in the planting of trees after natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, droughts and wildfires, as well as to help the urban tree canopy,” Franklin said. “We’ve helped plant white oaks to restore the West Linn Savanna in Oregon and we have been planting trees as part of the Journey Through Hallowed Ground, a four-state, 180-mile long region running from Gettysburg to Monticello, in Charlottesville, Virginia. These are the kinds of projects that our arborists have been involved with as part of the Legacy Tree Program.”
