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Seedling Survival
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2008 Mini-Grants
Thirteen minigrants of $500 each were awarded to counties in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, thanks to a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Here are their reports to date:
Students at Williamsburg Middle school grew 23 tree seedlings from seed that they will take to other 4-H Clubs to plant in areas that do have not trees. They will also plant 2-3 of tree seedlings in their school courtyard. (Picture at right)
Hanover County
We planted our trees, created an Environmental CD which was presented to our 400+ parents and students, created brochures about planting our trees, and had our prayers answered for rain!!! The plantings in our parking lot involved 515 students from 5 different schools (Girl Scouts from 4 other schools, Key Club members from Atlee High School). All of the 5th grade students (80) are committed to watering the new trees and bushes through the school year and the summer. Kathleen Ogilvy (Department of Forestry) will water the trees through the summer. All of the students were instructed on how to care for their seedling. Fifth grade students created their own newsletter to help the students know how to care for their seedling. All students were also given the 4-H leaflet on how to care for their seedling.
Augusta County Cub Scout Pack 333 planted seedlings along North River at Natural Chimney and on land owned by the scout leader. We had 5 scouts, 2 leaders and 3 helpers. We planted 40 tees with a 50% survival rate one month after planting. The Scouts learned a lot about trees and their importance. This project also helped them to earn their conservation badge. (Picture at right)
Amherst County
We planted trees along Horseley Creek in Monroe, VA, to provide a riparian buffer. We had two separate tree planting events. Planted total of 125 trees– all hardwoods. About 50 at first planting, remainder at second. 100% of trees are still surviving at this point!
Augusta County
Students at S.G. Stewart Middle School in Fort Defiance planted 419 seedlings. In order to receive a seedling they had to fill out an "application" to adopt trees and had to say why they wanted them. Their responses ranged from "stream bank restoration" to "providing beauty" to "helping wildlife" to "teaching responsibility." I was heartened by the enthusiasm displayed by these students about doing something tangible to make the world a better place. We also planted a small number of trees and shrubs in our "butterfly garden."
Students from the Chesapeake Bay Governors School, Northumberland High School, Northumberland Middle School, and Northumberland Elementary School planted 100 willow oak trees at their schools. They learned about watersheds, the importance of riparian buffers, and importance of trees to the environment. Bio-degradable tree shelters from Conservation Services, Inc. were used to help protect the trees. An informational packet was given to the students with information compiled from the Virginia Department of Forestry, Virginia Cooperative Extension, and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Students had help from the Department of Forestry, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, 4-H, Bank of Essex, and the Northumberland County Schools.
Warren CountyThe Front Royal/Warren County Tree Stewards hosted a celebration of Arbor Day on Saturday, April 26, 2008. Youth from local Girl Scout, 4-H, and Young Marine groups were involved in several activities including the planting of over 50 seedlings along Happy Creek in Front Royal. The plantings are a part of a multi-year project to restore the stream bank of Happy Creek where it runs through the town of Front Royal. (Picture at right)
City of Chesapeake
We were able to purchase 18 assorted trees for planting demonstrations at Chesapeake Schools. These trees will be a mixture of more unusual or less frequently planted species and will be 3-5' tall upon installation this autumn. The trees will help students learn various SOLs with planting, plant products, and habitat; and help tree canopy deficient schools come closer to meeting city ordinances.
Arbor Day at Our Father's Farm (Virginia Beach)224 at-risk children participating in Southeastern Tidewater Opportunity Project Inc. (local Head Start program) were able to experience the outdoors and farm life with the aid of information about the biology and value of trees. This was combined with a tree planting exercise instructing them in the manner of handling and planting bare-root seedlings. The students were involved helping to plant several hardwood trees. Each student also selected a wrapped a seedling to take home and plant. At the end of the day over 80% of the students correctly knew that a refrigerator was the appropriate place to store bareroot seedlings. Of the 14 trees planted on site 100 percent survived. Of 28 students who planted their trees, 60 percent survived. (picture at right)
Suffolk
Over 1100 trees (dogwood, persimmon, and crabapple) were distributed to all fourth-grade students in the City of Suffolk. Students were also taught grade-appropriate SOL-targeted information about renewable resources and parts of a plant (using tree specific examples). Additionally students learned about the value of trees for products, food, wildlife habitat, freeing up oxygen, and soil and water quality. Students were briefly instructed on the care, handling, and planting of the seedlings. Follow-up was conducted with three classes and their survival rates were 80, 63, and 34 percent. It is thought that the low survival rate from one school was the result of some unavoidable mishandling prior to distribution.
Charlottesville/Albemarle182 youth from public schools, the Boys & Girls Club and a local Webelos Pack learned about watershed protection through participation in the Albemarle 4-H Tree Planting Project. 200 trees were planted, with a 94% survival rate, in three county Parks, at a County and a City Middle School, and along the Rivanna River Trail in Charlottesville to control erosion and restore the watershed.---->
Craig County 5th graders planted seedlings at The Pines Campground in The National Forest. The kids planted some of the seedlings in high traffic areas and even though the trees were marked they got stepped on. Some seedlings did not get enough light and therefore did not survive. (Picture at left)
Dinwiddie County youth celebrated their first-ever Arbor Day! 4-H members partnered with the Department of Forestry and the Appomattox River Soil and Water Conservation District to provide seedlings and tree planting instruction at all five elementary schools and one middle school, at after school programs, at a volunteer leaders conference and at the county Arbor Day event. All total, 625 students planted 520 trees and 90% were surviving one month after planting.