COOKEVILLE –As a response to the deforestation caused by the F4 tornado that struck Cookeville nearly one year ago, the Arbor Day Foundation in partnership with the City of Cookeville and Verizon will be giving away 500 containerized trees.
The distribution will take place March 13th at the Public Works Department parking lot, 1115 East Spring St, Cookeville, TN. All Putnam County residents may pick up trees from 8:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.
“The March 2020 tornado broke our hearts, but it did not break our spirits,” Cookeville Mayor Ricky Shelton said. “We are committed to helping replace the trees that were lost.”
Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter said, “The tornado decimated many of our neighborhoods, taking with it an unfathomable number of trees. This project will help to ensure that no household impacted by the tornado misses an opportunity to help restore our lost tree canopy.”
Tree species include White Dogwood, Kwanzan Cherry, Yoshino Cherry, Tulip Poplar, Red Maple, Willow Oak and Shumard Oak. They are four to six feet tall and will be given away in a drive-through formation on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last.
Jaime Nunan, City of Cookeville urban forester, said, “This generous gift from the Arbor Day Foundation will remind us to stay hopeful with each new season of growth moving forward. Not only will these trees help with healing, they are essential to the environmental sustainability and health of our community.”
Social distancing will be observed. Masks are recommended.
“The people of Cookeville, Tennessee have suffered great personal and physical loss,” said Dan Lambe, Arbor Day Foundation president. “By replanting, we strive to bring healing and hope to the people and the communities in which they live, as well as help return the beauty and the value trees bring back to their properties.”
Founded in 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation has grown to become the largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees, with more than one million members, supporters and partners. In the last 45 years, more than 350 million Arbor Day Foundation trees have been planted in neighborhoods, communities, cities and forests throughout the world. For more information, visit arborday.org.
For more information about Cookeville’s tree giveaway, call Nunan at 520-5337.