Looking for a fun family event this autumn? Come on out and plant a tree at Antrim Township’s Martins Mill Bridge Park on Saturday October 11 beginning at 9:00 a.m.

The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and Antrim Township will be planting over 100 native trees and shrubs along the Conococheague Creek and seeks volunteer help. This event is a great opportunity to learn about native plants and local watersheds all while enjoying the great outdoors.

With the guidance of Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and Antrim Township staff, volunteers will be planting containerized trees and shrubs in pre-dug holes throughout the Martins Mill Bridge section of the Antrim Township Municipal Park.

These native plants will assist in filtering stormwater runoff, reduce local flooding, and cool the temperature of the Conococheague to enhance the habitat of the local trout populations. Volunteers will also learn about pest control and set up deer fencing to ensure the development and growth of these young trees and shrubs.

The Martins Mill Bridge park planting event is part of Franklin County’s Trees for Tomorrow Program, a county-wide effort to plant 150,000 new trees in the Conococheague watershed by 2016.

The benefits of trees are numerous for both people and the environment. The Trees for Tomorrow Program is a joint initiative of Franklin County Commissioners and numerous non-profits, including the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, which is being funded through grants received from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds.

Volunteers should come dressed for outdoor activity, and may bring items like gloves if they so desire. Martins Mill Bridge is located at 3505 East Weaver Road, Antrim Township, and the Park is accessible by driving past the bridge, north along East Weaver Road.

All volunteers are welcome! If you are interested in participating, please contact Kimberly Slaughter at 717-737-8622, Ext 2, or send email to: kslaughter@allianceforthebay.org.

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