The PA Horticultural Society is highlighting the impact of trees on individual lives and communities in a new Tree of the Year Contest that begins April 30, the national celebration of Arbor Day.  Entries are due June 1.

Tree of the Year Contest invites residents of all ages throughout the region to submit short stories, essays, or poems -- of 200 words or less --  that explain why a certain tree is important in their lives or their communities.

The contest is part of the Plant One Million campaign, a regional partnership to plant a million trees throughout 13 counties in southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and the state of Delaware.

The goal is to restore the tree canopy cover – the area of land shaded by trees – in the Greater Philadelphia region to 30 percent. Plant One Million is led by PHS, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, the TreeVitalize program of the Department of Conservation & Natural Resources, the New Jersey Tree Foundation, and the Delaware Center for Horticulture.

Plant One Million partners will select the contest finalists by June 20, and the public will be invited to vote online for the winning entry from June 20 to July 20.

The winner will receive free care for the tree from Bartlett Tree Experts, a founding sponsor of Plant One Million.

Entries must include a high-resolution photo of the tree with one or more people who love it.

Submissions must be sent by email to: plantonemillion@pennhort.org.

For more information, visit the PHS’ Tree of the Year Contest webpage.

More information on other programs, initiatives and upcoming events are available on the PA Horticultural Society website.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates from PHS.

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