Manor FFA members help kick off 10 Million Trees campaign

Six Manor FFA members on April 24 helped kick off of an effort to plant 10 million trees over the next seven years to help reduce pollution into the Chesapeake Bay.

The students gathered at a Manheim farm, along with state and federal officials, to plant the first 100 trees in the Keystone 10 Million Trees Campaign, sponsored by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

The effort is designed to establish a buffer along farmland streams to reduce runoff and along urban streets to reduce storm water flooding into the watershed. The goal is to have 10 million new trees planted by 2025.

Penn Manor student and Manor FFA member Sarah Bleacher read a brief greeting and prayer before the first tree was planted by the students and gathered officials.

Cindy Adams Dunn, Secretary of Conservation and Natural Resources, participated, along with Secretary of Agriculture Russell Reading, U.S. EPA Regional Administrator Cosmo Servidio and Chesapeake Bay Foundation president Will Baker.

The Manor FFA members participated through the Mentors in Agriculture Conservation, a job-shadowing program in which students work with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

In addition to Sarah Bleacher, the participating students were Cody Hurlburt, Alyssa Chalfant, Renee Eshbach, Alyssa Broderick and Dan Eshbach.

Many thanks for helping to kick off this important program!

Read an article about the program here.