(January 25, 2012) – The Alabama Tree Recovery Campaign will kick off the distribution of thousands of trees to homeowners and residents at an event on Monday, February 6, at 10:30am in Tuscaloosa, at 101 15TH Street East (the former location of Mike & Ed’s Barbeque). This large-scale, multi-year initiative was launched jointly in June of 2011 by the Arbor Day Foundation and the Alabama Forestry Commission to support the recovery of the tree-lined streets, shaded parks, and beautiful neighborhoods of Alabama as they were before the April 2011 tornados. The ultimate goal of the campaign is to restore the state’s urban and community forests to their former beauty and strength.    

Alabama First Lady Dianne Bentley, Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox, and other invited dignitaries are scheduled to join State Forester Linda Casey, Arbor Day Foundation officials, and Tuscaloosa residents in announcing locations of the 16 initial communities across North Alabama to receive 30,000 tree seedlings in February. These include Cordova, Cullman, Fyffe, Glen Allen, Hanceville, Ider, Jasper, Lakeview, Oakman, Ohatchee, Pleasant Grove, Reform, Shiloh, Sipsey, Tuscaloosa, and Vance.    

The Arbor Day Foundation is a nonprofit conservation and education organization of more than one million members, with the mission to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. More information on the Foundation and its programs can be found at www.arborday.org. 

The Alabama Forestry Commission is a state agency committed to protecting, conserving, and increasing Alabama’s forest resource. For more information, visit www.forestry.alabama.gov.

Contact Information:
Matthew McCollough (334)240-9360