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People Loving And Nurturing Trees (PLANT) is a statewide award program to recognize communities for their tree planting and tree care efforts. Communities range from schools, homeowner organizations and parks to metropolitan areas, cities and towns. There are four PLANT award levels: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Green. Successive levels require more formalized tree care activities. Although a community may remain at any level for an unlimited number of years, the goal of the program is to encourage a community to grow through the award levels by strengthening their commitment and care for their urban trees. Description: Awards are given based on the number of accomplishments completed by the applicant during the award year. A minimum of 4 accomplishments is required to be recognized. Acceptable accomplishments for PLANT awards range from holding a one-time tree event or ceremony (Arbor Day) to having built comprehensive ongoing planting and maintenance programs. PLANT is sponsored by the Maryland DNR Forest Service and the Maryland Community Forestry Council. Applications must be received by the Maryland DNR Forest Service by 11/30. |
 At an Arbor Day celebration at Riverdale ES, Town of Riverdale Park received a PLANT award from MD DNR forester, Horace Henry, in recognition of the town's reforestation efforts. |
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Communities submit an application in which they describe the events and activities that meet an award criteria. Applications are submitted to the DNR Forest Service by December 15th each year and awards are presented in April, often in conjunction with local Arbor/Earth Day celebrations. This application can be filled in on your computer. Return the completed, signed form and suggested documentation to either of the contacts listed below. If you have any questions about the program please contact:
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Plant Community Award Winners
In 2008, 129 of Maryland’s communities demonstrated their commitment to caring for their Urban Forest resources by being PLANT Communities! PLANT stands for People Loving And Nurturing Trees. As you can see from the list of winners, communities from Oakland (Garrett County) to Ocean City (Worcester County) and from Chesapeake City (Cecil County) to LaPlata (Charles County) - all across Maryland - are full of people loving and nurturing trees!
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The BRONZE AWARD is an attractive framed certificate indicating the award level and community name. Communities qualify for the Bronze Award by sponsoring a single activity or "one time event" relating to trees or tree care. Typical activities include a tree planting, or Arbor or Earth Day event. |
| The SILVER AWARD includes an etched wooden plaque with silver nameplate and date tag engraved with the year of the award. The plaque is designed to display additional PLANT awards of silver (or higher) in subsequent years to document a community's on-going commitment to their trees. The Silver is intended to encourage activities that lay the groundwork for developing an urban forestry program. Such activities might include data collection for a tree or natural resource inventory or the creation of a Tree Board or Beautification Committee. |  |
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The GOLD AWARD is an engraved, gold-colored date plate to be mounted on the wooden PLANT plaque. The Gold Award
recognizes communities for actively developing urban forestry programs to improve the health of their community's trees.
Activities that qualify for this award level may include development of a tree management plan based on a previous inventory or
adoption of tree protection regulations.
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| The GREEN AWARD is a green-colored date plate for display on the wooden PLANT plaque. Although simple in form, it represents the highest PLANT honor to recognize a community that has developed a well-established urban forestry program. This coveted award is reserved for programs that are funded, fully functional and staffed by qualified professionals (including volunteer assistance). Communities that are recipients of the federally awarded Tree City USA status automatically qualify for PLANT's Green Award. |
To participate in Maryland's PLANT Program, simply fill in the PLANT application print it and mail to the region in which you live. The addresses are shown on the first page of the application. You may submit any time during the year but the yearly deadline is December 15th for awards to be made the following April.
The History of the PLANT Program
The Maryland PLANT Program was established in 1991 as a cooperative effort between the Maryland Community Forest Council (MCFC)
and the Maryland Forest Service. The goal of the program was to help local communities step through the process of developing an
on-going urban forestry program. By reinforcing small, initial efforts, communities begin to "adopt" their local tree resources and once
engaged, become invested in maintaining the health and survival of the tree canopy. As the tasks become more complex, evolving into tree
inventories and management plans, MCFC and the Forest Service can provide technical support and volunteer assistance to aid in the
development of a formalized urban forestry program.
Before PLANT was established, national programs such as Tree City USA were providing these services for incorporated communities but smaller groups and unincorporated communities were not qualified to participate. PLANT was established to fill this gap and to encourage involvement by communities of all sizes.
During the first few years of the program, the number of participating communities grew to 30 in 1994. After program revisions in
1996, the number of PLANT communities skyrocketed from 67 in 1998 to 161 in year 2000. But the number of participants is only
half of the story. Fostering growth through the award levels is a major goal of the PLANT program. Many communities enter at the
Bronze Award level and gradually intensify their efforts; others may skip one or more levels to quickly achieve the top Green Award.
PLANT encourages communities to intensify their efforts at their own pace.
Sustainability is encouraged.
2008 PLANT Award Winners
People Loving And Nurturing Trees
| Name | City | 2008 |
| CENTRAL REGION | ||
| Aberdeen Proving Ground | APG | Green |
| Baltimore City Dept Rec & Parks | Baltimore | Green |
| Baltimore Gas & Electric Co. | Baltimore | Green |
| Bel Air, Town of | Bel Air | Green |
| Campus Hills CA | Towson | Bronze |
| Chesapeake City, Town of | Chesapeake City | Silver |
| Chevy Chase, Town of | Chevy Chase | Green |
| Eastern Technical High School | Baltimore | Bronze |
| Friends of Patapsco Valley & Heritage Greenway | Ellicott City | Certificate |
| Greening of Dundalk | Dundalk | Bronze |
| Hampstead, Town of | Hampstead | Green |
| Harford County Governmant | Bel Air | Green |
| Harford Glen Environmental Education Center | Bel Air | Silver |
| Havre de Grace Middle School | Havre de Grace | Silver |
| Havre de Grace, City of | Havre de Grace | Green |
| Hickory Elementary School | Bel Air | Silver |
| Howard Co Dept Rec & Parks & Environmental Service | Columbia | Bronze |
| Howard County Government | Dayton | Green |
| Inverness HOA | Potomac | Silver |
| Jarrettsville Elementary School | Jarrettsville | Silver |
| Kensington, Town of | Kensington | Green |
| Lutherville Lab for Science Math & Comm | Lutherville | Gold |
| Maryland National Guard | Havre de Grace | Silver |
| Mount Airy Garden Club | Mt Airy | Certificate |
| New Mark Commons | Rockville | Green |
| Partnership for a Healthier Carroll Co Inc | Westminster | Certificate |
| Perry Hall High School | Baltimore | Bronze |
| Rockville, City of | Rockville | Green |
| Rosedale Center | Baltimore | Bronze |
| Somerset, Town of | Chevy Chase | Green |
| Sparrows Point High School | Edgemere | Green |
| Sykesville Boy Scouts Pack 883 | Woodbine | Certificate |
| University of Maryland, Baltimore County | Baltimore | Green |
| Woodside Park Civic Association | Silver Spring | Green |
| Youth's Benefit Elementary School | Fallston | Gold |
| EASTERN SHORE | ||
| Benedictine School | Ridgely | Green |
| Berlin Intermediate School | Berlin | Green |
| Buckingham Elementary School | Berlin | Gold |
| Ocean City, Town of | Ocean City | Green |
| Salisbury University Arboretum | Salisbury | Green |
| Salisbury Zoological Park | Salisbury | Gold |
| Sudlersville Middle School Ecol Corps | Sudlersville | Green |
| Worcester County Rec & Parks Dept | Snow Hill | Green |
| Accokeek Foundation | Accokeek | Bronze |
| SOUTHERN REGION | ||
| Adelphi Hills Community Association | Hyattsville | Bronze |
| Annapolis Road Academy | Bladensburg | Bronze |
| Annapolis, City of | Annapolis | Green |
| Anne Arundel Community College | Arnold | Green |
| Archbishop Neale School | LaPlata | Bronze |
| Bay Ridge Civic Association | Annapolis | Gold |
| Bowie, City of | Bowie | Green |
| Bradburn memorial Bible Church | District Heights | Bronze |
| Brentwood, Town of | Brentwood | Green |
| Calvert Manor Garden Club | Accokeek | Bronze |
| Cameron Grove Active Adult Community | Upper Marlboro | Bronze |
| Capitol College | Laurel | Bronze |
| Charles Carroll Middle School | New Carrollton | Bronze |
| Chesapeake Ecology Center | Annapolis | Green |
| Cheverly, Town of | Cheverly | Green |
| College Park, City of | College Park | Green |
| Colmar Manor, Town of | Colmar Manor | Bronze |
| Cottage City, Town of | Cottage City | Bronze |
| Crofton Farms | Gambrills | Bronze |
| Eugene Burroughs Middle School | Accokeek | Bronze |
| First United Methodist Church of Hyattsville | Hyattsville | Bronze |
| Forestville New Redeemer Baptist Church | Forestville | Bronze |
| Greater Accokeek Civic Association | Accokeek | Gold |
| Greenbelt Homes Inc. | Greenbelt | Green |
| High Point High School | Beltsville | Silver |
| Historic Saint Marys City | St. Mary's City | Green |
| Hollywood Elementary School | Hollywood | Bronze |
| Hyattsville Elementary School | Hyattsville | Bronze |
| Hyattsville, City of | Hyattsville | Green |
| Judith P Hoyer Early Childhood Center | Cheverly | Bronze |
| Lake Arbor Civic Association | Mitchellville | Bronze |
| Laurel, City of | Laurel | Green |
| Little Friends for Peace | Mt Rainier | Bronze |
| Lower Potomac Tributary Team | Solomons | Silver |
| Manchester Estates Civic Association | Camp Springs | Silver |
| Mattaponi Elementary School Boy Scouts Pack 239 | Upper Marlboro | Bronze |
| MD National Capital Park & Planning Commission | Upper Marlboro | Green |
| New Carrollton, City of | New Carrollton | Green |
| Patuxent River Naval Air Station | Patuxent River | Green |
| Port Towns Elementary School | Bladensburg | Silver |
| Prince George's Community Federal Credit Union | Upper Marlboro | Certificate |
| Princeton Elementary School | Suitland | Bronze |
| Queens Manor Garden Apertments | Hyattsville | Bronze |
| Register of Wills | Upper Marlboro | Certificate |
| Riverdale Hghts/Hills/Crestwood Community Assoc | Riverdale | Silver |
| Riverdale Park, Town of | Riverdale Park | Green |
| Robert Goddard Montessori School | Seabrook | Silver |
| Rosa L Parks Elementary School | Hyattsville | Bronze |
| Saefern Saddle & Yacht Club | Annapolis | Gold |
| Scientists' Cliffs Association | Port Republic | Gold |
| Scotchtown Hills Elementary School | Laurel | Silver |
| Sherwood Forest | Sherwood Forest | Green |
| Shipley's Choice Elementary School | Millersville | Silver |
| St Mary's College of Maryland | St Mary's City | Green |
| St Mary's County Health Dept | Leonardtown | Gold |
| St Mary's County Rec & Parks | California | Green |
| St Mary's Nursing Center | Leonardtown | Gold |
| Summit Creek Community Association | Clinton | Bronze |
| Tantallon Citizen's Association | Ft Washington | Bronze |
| Valley View Elementary School | Oxon Hill | Bronze |
| Waldon Woods Elementary School | Clinton | Bronze |
| Wicomico Shores Golf Course | Chaptico | Green |
| Wilburn Central Civic Assoc | Capitol Heights | Silver |
| William S Schmidt Outdoor Ed. Center | Brandywine | Silver |
| Woods End HOA | Oxon Hill | Green |
| Woodyard Estates HOA Inc | Upper Marlboro | Bronze |
| WESTERN REGION | ||
| Brunswick, City of | Brunswick | Bronze |
| Catoctin High School | Thurmont | Silver |
| Cumberland, City of | Cumberland | Green |
| Fort Detrick | Fort Detrick | Green |
| Frederick, City of | Frederick | Green |
| Friendsville, Town of | Friendsville | Green |
| Hagerstown, City of | Hagerstown | Green |
| Loch Lynn Heights, Town of | Loch Lynn Heights | Green |
| Middletown High School | Middletown | Bronze |
| North Glade 4-H Community Center | Swanton | Bronze |
| Oakland, Town of | Oakland | Green |
| Tuscarora Elementary School | Frederick | Silver |
| Urbana Middle School | Ijamsville | Silver |
| Valley Elementary School | Jefferson | Silver |
| Walkersville High School | Walkersville | Silver |
| Waterford Park, Friends of | Frederick | Gold |
| Western Maryland 4-H Center | Mountain Lake Park | Silver |
| Wolfsville Elementary School | Myersville | Silver |
| Certificates are awarded to groups participating in Urban Forestry projects in their community. | ||
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources Forest Service wants to know if this
service is helpful for you or your company, please send comments and/or suggestions to Maryland
DNR.
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