Growing Seeds to Trees

- Betsy Johnson

Originally printed in Community Common's publication:
Stories Told From the Land: The unique relationship between people and place in shaping Frederick County, Maryland

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Fourteen schools in Frederick County have taken on the challenge of starting a Seed Growout Station on their school grounds. Seeds of native trees are collected and planted in containers that placed in nursery beds. In the spring, the seeds sprout and there will be hundreds of seedlings to care for at each school.

Students help collect, process, and plant the seeds in the nurseries. They care for the trees by weeding and watering. After two years of growth, students will plant the seedlings along creeks and streams on or adjacent to their school grounds.

Why plant trees along our local creeks and streams? Trees serve as a natural buffer for waterways, filtering pollutants, stabilizing soils, and keeping water temperatures constant. They also provide wildlife habitat, flood control, and aesthetic values.

This project offers students the opportunity to make a difference in their community. Through active and hands-on learning, they will better understand the connection between land uses and environmental health. Growing trees native to Frederick County and planting them in Frederick County soils will teach stewardship and hopefully empower them to continue their involvement in the community.

Waving Trees
Trees sway in the light
All colorful and blooming
Waving all around.
By Zach Miller

Treat trees
Respectfully
Excellantly
Enjoyable
By Anna Hornstein

Taller than ever
Racing to be planted
Easy to plant
Everyone’s happy when they are growing.
By D’Andre Ward

Poetry submitted by students of Whittier Elementary School.