Keep Nassau Beautiful Celebrates Florida Arbor Day by Distributing 500 Trees to Nassau County Residents

Nassau County, Florida, February 3, 2021 – Florida Arbor Day is celebrated annually on the third Friday in January.  In 2021 Keep Nassau Beautiful (KNB) celebrated the day with their second annual Adopt-A-Tree project.  During the inaugural event in 2020 KNB distributed more than 340 free trees to Nassau County residents.  The goal for the 2021 project was increased to distribute 500 free trees to Nassau County residents. Residents responded enthusiastically and reserved all 500 trees in advance!
 
To ensure the safety of participants and volunteers KNB utilized an on-line educational program and tree species reservation process.  Residents were asked to view a video recorded by Rebecca Jordi, former Nassau County Extension Director and certified arborist, to learn about proper planting and maintenance of trees in the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone for Nassau County.  UF/IFAS Tree Specification Sheets were provided via an on-line link for the initial seven species of trees available through the event.  After viewing the educational video and the tree specification sheets residents used an on-line form to reserve their preferred species of one or two trees from those available at the time of their reservation.  Residents had the option of picking up their trees from three locations in Nassau County on subsequent Saturdays in January.  More than 40 volunteers assisted in the three drive-through events held in Fernandina Beach, Callahan, and Yulee.  The volunteers provided 180 hours of service to load trees into vehicles for safe travel to their new homes in Nassau County.
 
Liberty Landscape Supply of Fernandina Beach sourced the seven species of trees, cared for them until their scheduled distribution date, and delivered the trees to each of the three distribution locations.  Many residents commented on the quality of the trees noting their size and health as superb. 
 
“Keep Nassau Beautiful is fortunate again this year to have the support of Rayonier, Rayonier Advanced Materials, Liberty Landscape Supply, Florida Department of Transportation, Nassau County Board of County Commissioners, Fernandina Beach City Commissioners, the Callahan Masonic Lodge, individual donors, and our many hearty volunteers,” said Kelley McCarter, KNB Board Member and Adopt-A-Tree Project Chair.
 
With on-going support from the community for an annual Florida Arbor Day event, Keep Nassau Beautiful plans to continue the Adopt-A-Tree project in 2022 to help off-set the loss of trees in Nassau County due to development, weather events, and age.  If you would like to learn more, donate, or to register for notification of the next Adopt-A-Tree event, visit https://keepnassaubeautiful.org/programs/planting-nassaus-future/ or 904-261-0165.

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Keep Nassau Beautiful Arbor Day Free-Tree Drive-Through with Volunteers, Trees, and Residents in Fernandina Beach, Jan. 16, 2021.

Keep Nassau Beautiful Arbor Day Free-Tree Drive-Through with Volunteers, Trees, and Residents in Callahan, Jan. 23, 2021.