Nearly 500 trees to be planted around Montgomery County to celebrate Earth Month

Hundreds of trees will be planted around Montgomery County in honor of Earth Month. Students from the Montgomery Conservation Corps. are celebrating Earth Month by planting new trees. Montgomery Conservation Corps. student, Diana Ortega, said: “I’m learning a lot of new things.” Ortega says being in the program taught her about horticulture. “Once I get this done, we fertilize it over there, and once the cart gets full, we go water them and plant it next to the other trees.”

Montgomery Conservation Corps. Crew Leader, MJ Garcia, stated: “Not only is it an opportunity for the students to get their GED and also get workforce experience, but it also helps a lot on an emotional level.” Montgomery Parks horticulturists taught over 20 students steps to prep small trees for reforestation. Pope Farm Nursery Horticulturist, Vanessa Lane, said: “Black Hills, South Germantown, Little Bennett, the Stream Valley and all along Sligo Creek Parkway.”

Organizers say the program has been successful for years, as they’re able to teach at-risk youths about green infrastructure and conservation. Montgomery Conservation Corps. Director, Jacob Neuman, stated: “I think the corps. meets a triple bottom line here in the county. There is a social impact, and economic impact and an environmental impact.”

Many of the new trees can be spotted in areas along Sligo Creek Parkway.