Arizona Centennial and Arizona Community Tree Council Announce 'Centennial Tree-Planting' Matching Grant Program
March 15, 2012Published: Wednesday, January 4, 2012 12:39 PM CST
Salt River Project Contributes $10,000 Seed Funding
Building a ‘Canopy for the Next Century’ …Supporting Educational Events & Projects to Recognize Arizona’s 100 Years of Statehood
Phoenix, Ariz. (Jan. 3, 2012) – The Arizona Centennial Commission & 2012 Foundation in conjunction with the Arizona Community Tree Council, and with the support of a $10,000 grant from Salt River Project (SRP), announces an outreach program to engage Arizona students to build a Canopy for the Next Century.
The project is a matching funds opportunity for schools to plant trees, host a visiting arborist, memorialize the tree-planting with a plaque and develop the leadership skills that encourage environmental stewardship. The program includes age-appropriate educational lessons on the proper care and planting of trees.
Schools have two options when applying for the grant. Option one requires the school to raise $250 and they will receive a matching funds grant of $250 to plant two trees. Option two requires the school to raise $125 to plant one tree and a matching funds grant of $125 is awarded.
Karen Churchard, executive director, Arizona Centennial Commission and 2012 Foundation said: “This is a project that encourages environmental awareness, and also provides the chance for students to create a lasting legacy for the record books by contributing to Arizona’s Canopy for the Next Century and recognizing our state’s 100 Years. We’re grateful to SRP for providing the seed funding that allows us to award matching grants to schools right away.”
Lori Singleton, Director of Program Operations, SRP, said: “The funding for this program is made possible through the SRP Trees for Change program and the voluntary contributions of SRP customers. The majority of funds are used to replace trees in Arizona forests devastated by fires, with small grants provided to other community tree planting projects. We are proud to be a partner in this endeavor to engage students and educate them on the importance of planting and caring for trees.”
Arizona Community Tree Council Executive Director Conni Ingallina said: “This program becomes an apt opportunity in the New Year to educate Arizona students about the importance of being good stewards of our natural resources. Plus, wrapping this program around the history of our Arizona Centennial and encouraging our youth to plant trees that could last a century is a memorable educational activity and also furthers our mission. We’re delighted to spearhead the program.”
Students, teachers and parents can nominate their school through an application process with criteria based on environmental impact addressing one or all of the following topics:
? how trees affect the global environment;
? awareness and sustainability;
? food cultivation;
? tree biology; and
? tree care and maintenance.
The grant is awarded on a “first-come, first-served” basis and can be applied for at www.AZ100Years.org, click on “Centennial Tree Project.”
The program includes trees from a pre-selected tree list, an educational handout, Centennial commemorative plaque and arborist on site. Schools who wish to participate are required to have irrigation and maintenance available on site.
The Centennial Tree Project is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to celebrate Arizona’s 100 years by engaging cities, counties, school, churches, organizations and citizens to plant trees. The Centennial Tree Project consists of three projects – Witness Tree, Canopy for the Next Century and Great Tree Resources.
The Arizona Centennial 2012 Foundation is dedicated to education and commemoration of Arizona’s 100 Years through the production of time-honored Signature Events and Projects that provide the opportunity to observe Arizona’s 100 Years of Statehood and learn about our state’s past, present and future.
About Arizona Centennial Commission. The Arizona Centennial Commission, through its nonprofit Arizona Centennial 2012 Foundation, is the statewide board charged by Governor Jan Brewer with planning and implementing Arizona’s 100th anniversary of statehood. In collaboration with the Arizona Historical Advisory Commission, more than 209 projects and events are sanctioned and planned-to-date to commemorate Arizona’s Centennial. For information on the Arizona Centennial, visit www.AZ100YEARS.org .
