If prognostications of six more weeks of winter have you down, take action and think about warmer weather and attend one of the upcoming “Tree Tender” class on how to plant and care for trees sponsored by the TreeVitalize Program.

TreeVitalize, a partnership to restore tree cover in the five-county region in Southeastern Pennsylvania, is offering classes this Spring on how to plant and care for trees on these dates—

· Bucks County: Heritage Conservancy, Aldie Mansion, 85 Old Dublin Pike, Doylestown - March 23, 30 and April 6, 6 - 9 p.m.;

· Montgomery County: Lower Merion Township Administration Building, 75 East Lancaster Ave., Ardmore, April 18, 25 and May 2, 6-9 p.m.; and

· Philadelphia: Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, 100 N. 5th Street, 5th Floor, May 10, 17 and 24, 5:45 to 8:45 p.m.

During nine hours of Tree Tender training, participants will learn about tree biology, identification, pruning and root care, as well as how to fundraise, manage volunteers, and work with local government.

DCNR spearheads the TreeVitalize project with many public and private partners. The training was designed and is being taught by staff from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and Penn State Cooperative Extension.

Students are expected to volunteer time to community tree planting projects in exchange for training. Groups also may qualify for free or discounted trees upon completing the program.

TreeVitalize hopes to educate as many as 2,000 citizens in tree planting and care over the next three years. So far, 906 citizens have been trained. The $8 million program also has a goal of planting more than 20,000 shade trees in neighborhoods in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.

Other TreeVitalize partners are the state Department of Environmental Protection; Aqua Pennsylvania; Philadelphia Eagles; PECO, an Exelon Co.; U.S. Forest Service; Pennsylvania Horticultural Society; Morris Arboretum; William Penn Foundation; Pennsylvania Landscape and Nursery Association; Penn State Cooperative Extension; Fairmount Park Commission and county and local governments.

Registration for all classes is required. Classes are open to all residents of the five county region.

For more information about the classes, visit the Tree Tender webpage or contact Mindy Maslin at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society at 215-988-8844

Visit the TreeVitalize website for more ideas on how to improve tree cover.

2/10/2006