RICHMOND, Va., April 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Project Plant It!,
the environmental education program created by Dominion Resources,
Inc., will celebrate a significant milestone this spring: 10 years
of helping children learn about the important role of trees in the
ecosystem. A hallmark of the program is the distribution of free
redbud tree seedlings to all participating children, providing a
memorable and meaningful way to celebrate Arbor Day (April
29).
"Just as trees begin life as tiny seedlings, Project Plant It!
has grown significantly from a pilot program in the Richmond region into a multi-state initiative
that has become an annual tradition for educators, families and
children throughout our service areas," said Hunter A. Applewhite, president of the Dominion
Foundation. "Project Plant It! is one of the many ways that
Dominion seeks to support those who teach children and to partner
with the communities we serve."
In a new twist for the 10th anniversary, enrollment
was extended into several new regions and opened to children of all
grade levels instead of just third graders, as in prior years.
Also, participation was opened to any entity that educates or works
with youth, such as Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops, home schools,
preschools, church groups and civic associations.
Thanks to these expansions, Dominion provided free educational
resources and 50,000 tree seedlings to children of all ages in
2016—many of whom had never participated in this program until now.
Seedlings went to children in nine states served by Dominion,
including Connecticut,
Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode
Island, South Carolina,
Virginia and West Virginia.
Since the program was created in 2007, more than 350,000 tree
seedlings have been distributed to students. According to the
Virginia Department of Forestry, this equates to about 875 acres of
new forest if all of the seedlings are planted and grow to
maturity. In addition, Project Plant It! provides free educational
materials, interactive games and videos about trees, along with a
variety of outdoor, hands-on activities, on its website at
www.projectplantit.com.
Over the past decade, many organizations and agencies have
served as longtime collaborative partners with Dominion and Project
Plant It!, including the national Arbor
Day Foundation, the Virginia Department of Forestry,
Richmond Public Schools and many
school systems throughout Dominion's service area.
"Through Project Plant It!, Dominion has ensured a lasting
legacy for future generations," said Bettie
Guthrie, education chair for the Willcox Watershed
Conservancy in Petersburg, Va.
"For eight years, third-grade students in Petersburg have celebrated Arbor Day at Lee Memorial Park, where they plant
trees to honor our military troops. We are grateful for the
opportunity to share in this important educational
partnership."
In addition to the Arbor Day event
in Lee Memorial Park, tree celebrations are planned at Goochland
Elementary School in Goochland,
Va., at Ginter Park Elementary School in the City of Richmond, Va., and at Great Bridge
Intermediate in Chesapeake, Va.,
among others.
For more information about Project Plant It!, visit
www.projectplantit.com or "Like" Project Plant It! on
Facebook.
About Dominion Resources
Dominion Resources is the
parent company of Dominion (NYSE: D), one of the nation's largest
producers and transporters of energy, with a portfolio of
approximately 24,300 megawatts of generation, 12,200 miles of
natural gas transmission, gathering and storage pipeline, and 6,500
miles of electric transmission lines. Dominion operates one of
the nation's largest natural gas storage systems with 933 billion
cubic feet of storage capacity and serves utility and retail energy
customers in 14 states. For more information about Dominion, visit
the company's website at www.dom.com.
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SOURCE Dominion Resources