Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful will participate by revitalizing outdoor green spaces at VA Butler Healthcare as part of National Planting Day, an initiative of Keep America Beautiful to encourage the planting of native species of trees, shrubs and plants, nationally on September 7.

The work is made possible through a grant from The Home Depot Foundation and will be performed in partnership with Team Depot. 

“The Home Depot Foundation is proud to be a funding partner of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful,” said Kelly Caffarelli, president of The Home Depot Foundation. “They deserve enormous credit for the work they are doing for veterans in the community, and we are thrilled to be part of their efforts.”  

Through National Planting Day, KAB is raising awareness about the importance of native species in restoring balance to local environments, while creating vibrant, more beautiful communities. Whether you are part of a citywide beautification program, a municipal leader, or a home gardener, you can participate simply by committing to use native species for your fall planting efforts.

“National Planting Day is a call to action designed to encourage people to plant natives at home, or to join a volunteer planting effort to beautify their community,” said Cori Rotter, Sr. Manager, KAB Brand Development. “It’s increasingly important that we focus on the planting of more ecologically appropriate, drought-tolerant native species.”

Native species are losing ground to suburbanization, fragmented habitats, ornamental plants and invasive species.  Yet we know that natives are critical to attracting specialized pollinators and insects, which in turn provide food for birds and ultimately many more animals up the food chain.

Native species provide ideal habitat for wildlife, are hardier, and require less water and ongoing maintenance than other ornamentals. This is an especially important benefit in light of this summer’s extreme temperatures in many parts of the country.

Special planting activities will take place in dozens of communities this fall. Contact your local Keep America Beautiful affiliate for details or register your event online.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s People’s Garden Initiative is also joining KAB in these efforts by calling upon the more than 1,900 People’s Gardens across the country to participate in National Planting Day.

Communities that wish to be recognized for growing a “People’s Garden” are also encouraged to take part in National Planting Day by incorporating sustainable practices such as planting native species.

The simple practice of planting natives provides one of the components of a People’s Garden and helps the environment by conserving water, protecting soil from erosion and providing habitat for wildlife.

The U.S. Composting Council is joining KAB in promoting National Planting Day by reminding the public of the importance of using compost when planting to provide essential organic matter to soils, adding vital water-holding capacity, helping soil retain nutrients longer, improving soil structure and supporting local organic recycling programs.

9/9/2013