While National Arbor Day is two weeks away, more than 20 volunteers were expected to get their hands dirty in Tremont this weekend to reclaim former coal lands by planting hardwood trees.
"We're planting a total of 14,500 oak trees there between Saturday and Sunday and we're going to plant another 1,200 in New Philadelphia on April 28," William Reichert, president of the Schuylkill Headwaters Association, Pottsville, said Thursday.
So a total of 15,700 oak tree seedlings will be planted on approximately 25 1/2 acres of former coal land, Reichert said.
Frank P. Snyder, service forester for the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Cressona, said he'll be among the volunteers in Tremont today.
"I'm going to help train the volunteers to plant trees and also help lay out the planning scheme, to help with organization," Snyder said.
National Arbor Day is April 27 this year, according to the website for the Arbor Day Foundation at arborday.org
The Pottsville Shade Tree Commission will hold its traditional observance on Arbor Day, with a slate of educational programs. Meanwhile, the Schuylkill Headwaters Association will continue the Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative in the anthracite region.
Started in Schuylkill County in 2009, this reclamation project was made possible by the Schuylkill Headwaters Association, Schuylkill Conservation District, U.S. Office of Surface Mining and DEP.
This year, the association was able to purchase 2,700 oak tree seedlings using $15,000 in donations. Rettew Associates, Schuylkill Haven, donated $10,000 for the project and a $5,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds, Reichert said.
"They're all oak trees: red oak, black oak, pin oak and chestnut oak. They bought them from a nursery in Kentucky. They were shipped in by FedEx. And we kept them out at a walk-in cooler at the Schuylkill County Fairgrounds," Reichert said Thursday.
Today, volunteers will plant trees on 2 acres at the Michael Coal site just west of Tremont.
"The total project at Michael Coal is going to be 24 acres. But we're going to have professional tree specialists from Williams Forestry come in on Sunday and they're going to plant 13,000 trees. They're going to bring those seedlings in refrigerated trucks," Reichert said.
On April 28, volunteers will plant 1,200 tree seedlings on 1 1/2 acres at Silver Creek north of New Philadelphia, according to Reichert.
Anyone from the public can be a volunteer by calling 570-622-3742, Reichert said.
The association was planning to plant hardwoods on Sharp Mountain in Pottsville as part of this year's effort, but Reichert said a subsidence that occurred there in February made him a bit leery.
"It might be a little dangerous to be highlighting that area right now," Reichert said.
Joseph T. Orlowsky, president of the Pottsville Shade Tree Commission, said there will be five events in Pottsville to celebrate Arbor Day on April 27:
- At 11 a.m., city officials will meet on Progress Avenue, behind Subway, where six service berry trees were planted on Thursday. Miller Brothers Construction, Cressona, paid for the trees and Snyder planted them, Orlowsky said.
- At 11:30 a.m., representatives from the Pottsville Shade Tree Commission will meet with children at St. Joseph Center for Special Learning, 2075 W. Norwegian St.
- At 1 p.m., commission members will visit Pottsville's Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, 816 Laurel Blvd. The church is celebrating its 170th anniversary this year and planted a honey locust tree outside the church on Thursday, Orlowsky said.
- At 2 p.m., city officials and commission members will gather for the traditional Arbor Day Celebration at Charles Baber Cemetery. "We planted 10 trees there on Tuesday: six white pine, one pin oak, one dogwood, one linden and one red maple. They were paid for by sponsors," Orlowsky said. The Rev. James A. Rinehart, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, Pottsville, Mayor John D.W. Reiley and local high school students will gather for the presentation, Orlowsky said.
-At 3:15 p.m., commission members will meet at Pottsville Area's D.H.H. Lengel Middle School, where three red maple trees were planted this week, Orlowsky said.