View the MillionTrees Photo Album

HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?

LL&W crew needs volunteers to help us wrap our oak tree saplings in March and April 2012. We will wrap every day at our headquarters in East Moline, Tuesday thru Saturday 9am-5pm,and have a 6 day event at the Expo Center. For more information contact Ashley.

Thank you to all the volunteers who make LL&W’s projects such a success!

WHAT IS THE MILLIONTREES PROJECT?

The MillionTrees Project was initiated in 2007 to help further Living Lands &Waters’ mission to aid in the protection, preservation, and restoration of the natural environment of our nation’s major rivers and their watersheds; to expand awareness of environmental issues and responsibility encompassing our rivers; and to create a desire and opportunity for citizens to take an active role in helping to make a cleaner river environment. For the last ten years, LL&W has focused its efforts on cleaning up garbage littering America’s big rivers. In 2003, LL&W launched the next two phases of the project—restoring our rivers to a more natural state by planting trees and removing invasive plants and educating the public on the need to preserve and protect these natural resources.

LL&W has taken its restoration and education efforts to the next level. Beginning in the fall of 2007, LL&W began collecting and planting seeds of native hardwood trees at a nursery created on the property of long-time partner Cargill, at its pork-processing plant in Beardstown, Illinois. Using a rich compost mix produced at the plant as a soil enhancer, LL&W’s goal is to grow 100,000 trees within the next 2-3 years and 1 MILLION trees within the next 5-10 years. All trees will then be replanted along the shorelines and islands of our major waterways, as well as within towns and cities that have joined LL&W’s efforts.

WHY IS THIS PROJECT IMPORTANT?

Over the last 150 years there has been a decline in tree diversity along the shorelines of the Midwest’s mightiest rivers such as the Mississippi, Missouri, Illinois and Ohio Rivers. Most of the native, mast (fruit and nut bearing) hardwood trees that once existed were depleted for fuel and building materials during the Steamboat Era and by flooding and disease. The residual effect has resulted in a monoculture of cottonwoods, silver maples, and willow. While these trees are fine in certain areas, they outgrow and crowd out many native fruit and nut bearing hardwoods in forests because they naturally grow at a slower pace. Therefore, the LL&W nursery would be used to grow native hardwoods such as oaks, and possibly hickories, hackberries, mulberries, pecan, paw paw, etc. This project is great for a million reasons-- here are just a few:

• Everyone assumes that there is an abundance of wildlife on the river, but many species have nearly disappeared because of the absence of food. The tree species that currently exist on the river have little or no food value for wildlife. The MillionTrees Project will only plant trees that produce nuts and fruit so that ducks, songbirds, squirrels, wild turkeys, etc. have a viable food source. These strong hardwoods also create a wonderful habitat for wildlife and nesting birds.

• The roots of trees act as filters. Especially when planted along waterways, these roots can help reduce the amount of pollution and run-off entering our creeks, rivers, and streams.

• Trees grow long and strong roots in order to keep them in place. These same roots also help keep the ground in place and reduce erosion.

• Diversifying the current makeup of trees along our shorelines and in our communities increases the opportunities for beneficial wildlife and insects to live. It also helps protect against viruses, bores, etc. that could otherwise deplete an entire forest that’s made up of just one or two species.

• Trees also filter the air we breathe. By absorbing carbon, they reduce the impacts of climate change, and the leaves also produce oxygen for us to breathe.

• When planted along shorelines and islands, these trees produce shade over our waterways, keeping them cool for aquatic life and reducing the intensity of algae blooms and eutrophication of our waters. They also keep humans and wildlife safe and cool during hot and steamy summers.

• Aside from all the health and wildlife benefits, trees are just plain beautiful and increase aesthetics everywhere they are planted.

WHAT ARE NATIVE TREES AND WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT?

Native trees are those that have evolved to the regional environment, with all its fluctuations and extremes, over thousands of years. They have developed the natural defenses to withstand many types of insects and diseases, as well as severe winters and summer droughts. Because of these traits, native trees typically thrive with minimal maintenance and have a much higher survival rate than non-native or “introduced” tree species. Native trees have also evolved with local flora, fauna, birds and insects so they will help support the web of life without being overwhelmed by it. Native trees are also a part of our nation’s natural heritage and preserve the character of America’s forests.

MTP Contacts:
Ashley Stover
ashley@livinglandsandwaters.org
309.737-5913