Veterans Day Native Tree Give-Away Sees 360 Young Trees Find New Homes Within 2 Hours

On Veterans Day, November 11, the Front Royal/Warren County Tree Stewards and the Town’s Advisory Committee on Environmental Sustainability (ACES) teamed up for a native tree give-away in the Gazebo area of the Front Royal Village Commons park area in the town’s Historic Downtown Business District. Co-organizer Justin Proctor, ACES member, and Front Royal-Warren County Anti-Litter Council president, reported a rousing success with 360 young trees; we believe all that were available, comprised of six different native species leaving for new homes on citizen properties throughout the town and county. In fact, Proctor said that with a crowd gathering for the 10 a.m. opening, all the trees were gone within about two hours of the scheduled 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. event.

Citizens were ready to add some young trees to their outdoor environment from the 10 a.m. kickoff time. Most, if not all were gone within two hours of the scheduled four-hour event. Courtesy Photos ACES/Tree Stewards

“We’ll have to double our inventory, at least, next year,” Proctor said of the overwhelming show of public interest in the project. He also gave a shout-out to the Virginia Department of Forestry, specifically their Va. Trees for Clean Water program, which provided funding assistance for the event.

As noted in preliminary releases on the event, the goal of the native species tree giveaway is “to continue building out a diverse, native tree canopy across our community.” Organizers noted that tree species offered included Eastern Redbuds, Bald Cypress, Loblolly Pine, Flowering Dogwood, Swamp White Oak, and Red Maple. Tree Stewards present consulted with people on the best trees for their planned planting locations and provided instructions for planting and maintenance as necessary for the new tree “parents”.

If the young tree supply was getting low, a few more with a little age on them were introduced into the mix. Below, participant volunteers, including cadets from R-MA, celebrate a job well done.

Among the long-term benefits of encouraging such new plantings across the community that organizers listed were:

Creating shade and cooler temperatures in the summer while creating a more insulated buffer against cold temperatures in the winter;

Adding beautiful year-round color and structure to your landscape;

Maybe we’ll grow up to be big and pretty like these surrounding trees in and near the Village Commons park area, young saplings may have been thinking as they headed to their new homes.

Providing food and shelter for wildlife, including nesting birds and pollinators;

Improving storm-water control and fighting erosion;

Sequestering carbon and organic matter into the soil;

And stewarding the next generation of trees for the next generations of children and grandchildren to enjoy.

Congratulations to the Tree Stewards and the Town Advisory Committee on Environmental Sustainability on the successful launch of what is planned to be an annual event.