NEW HANOVER COUNTY — An annual event that works toward repopulating trees in the area continues the second weekend in January at an area shopping facility.
The 28th annual TreeFest takes place 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 16, and Saturday, Jan. 17, at Independence Mall inside the JCPenney corridor. There will be more than 5,000 plants available.
Each household can take up to five trees; a $5 donation is suggested. All trees are NC native species — Longleaf Pine, Bald Cypress, Chickasaw Plum, Buttonbush, Red Maple (Piedmont), River Birch, Flowering Dogwood and others — and offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. Grasses are also available.
Trees are bare-root and should be planted as soon as possible. Participants should bring their own non-leaking bag/bucket to transport seedlings.
TreeFest experts will be available to help answer questions as needed, though participants should ensure the planting site is appropriate, clear of utility lines above and below ground and far from buildings. Soil type, drainage, and sun exposure also should be considered.
TreeFest began in 1997 after hurricanes Bertha and Fran struck the greater Wilmington region and decimated tree populations. Since, the festival has given away 150,000 tree seedlings and grasses to area residents.
City of Wilmington, Independence Mall, N.C. Cooperative Extension, NC Forest Service, New Hanover County Soil and Water Conservation District, and UNCW’s Departments of Environmental Sciences and Biology & Marine Biology make TreeFest possible.
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