State Reaches 2013 Marylanders Plant Trees Goal

[David (Premo)]

Citizens plant and register more than 100,000 treesAnnapolis, Md. (January 10, 2013) -- Governor Martin O’Malley today announced that citizens have exceeded the three-year statewide goal of planting and registering 100,000 trees by 2013 through the exciting, interactive Marylanders Plant Trees program. Governor O’Malley encourages everyone to keep the momentum going strong, planting trees this spring to continue to enhance the health and beauty of Maryland.


“Reaching our 100,000th tree planting goal through the Marylanders Plant Trees Program demonstrates that there are some challenges so large we can only do them together," said Governor O'Malley. "Though this is a great milestone, there is more work to be done so we encourage all Marylanders to keep planting for a more sustainable future for generations to come."


To date citizens have planted and registered 101,056 trees in areas all across the State under the Marylanders Plant Trees program. Once citizens register their tree online, they can observe its environmental benefits through interactive maps and charts. To keep the successes going into 2013, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be giving away new batch of prizes at random to citizens who register their trees this spring.


Trees protect water and air quality and provide important wildlife habitat. One large tree can eliminate 5,000 gallons of polluted runoff each year, and well placed trees can help reduce energy costs by 15 to 35 percent. Trees also help beautify communities and parks, provide sound barriers and shade, and help increase property values. DNR reminds citizens that it is important to keep planting because the more tree cover, the greater the exponential impact.


Governor O’Malley launched the Marylanders Plant Trees program as part of his Smart, Green & Growing initiative in spring 2009, establishing, and now reaching, the goal of planting and registering 100,000 new trees under the program by 2013. In the spring of 2011, the State also met its three-year goal of planting 1 million trees on public lands through the Forest Brigade, which utilizes inmate labor in a partnership among the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, the State Highway Administration and DNR.


The Marylanders Plant Trees program offers $25 coupons toward the purchase of native trees. For more information, a list of prizes, and to register a tree, visit trees.maryland.gov.