An exciting new program with vast implications for the nursery and plant industry was announced last December at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C.

First lady Hillary Clinton, Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman, Secretary of Education Richard Riley, Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson and Washington Mayor Anthony Williams announced the new Millennium Green project of the White House Millennium Council.

Besides the departments of Agriculture, Energy and Education, the Department of Justice and Interior are participating. Private nonprofit groups including American Forests, the National Arbor Day Foundation, American Forest Foundation, America the Beautiful Fund, National Gardening Association, International Society of Arboriculture and National Tree Trust are sponsoring Millennium Green projects and events.

Gail Levy of Plants Express, who helped come up with the idea for Millennium Green, said, "I thought of the victory gardens of World War II and how Johnny Appleseed planted all those trees, and felt those efforts should be repeated for the new millennium."

All through the 20th century, cities and communities lost trees, forests and green spaces due to rapid and often poorly planned development. There is no better time than the start of a new century to try to repair this damage and set the stewardship example for generations to come. Working in our backyards and in our communities, Americans can all do their part to nurture and care for trees, parks and gardens.

Big possibilities

Wouldn't it be wonderful if America in the 21st century once again became a place of green and beautiful city parks, tree-lined avenues and highways, lush expanses of forest and farmland, clean air and clean water and neighbors working together to make things better?

If Millennium Green meets its goals, there is a good chance this could happen. What if every person in America plants a tree or a garden for the new millennium? What if every community does protect a heritage tree or grove? What if every business or corporation would plant a tree for every employee or adopt a local natural treasure?

To help make this happen, USDA is donating 100 trees from the Historic and Famous Tree Collection of the American Forest Foundation to every governor to plant millennium groves at every state capital and the nation's capital. W. Atlee Burpee & Co. is donating garden benches to all the millennium groves. America the Beautiful Fund is donating $1 million worth of seeds provided by Applewood Seed Co., Bentley Seed Co., Burpee, Harris Seed Co., Hart Seed Co., Johnny's Selected Seeds and Page Seed Co. and $500,000 worth of spring bulbs provided by White Flower Farm. These will be used to plant millennium gardens in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Micronesia, Palau and Northern Mariana Islands. Eddie Bauer is donating $5 million to American Forests to plant 3 million to 5 million trees in 2001.

More sponsors needed

More green industry partners and sponsors are needed. Everybody reading this magazine has the opportunity to join this effort. You can adopt your own local park or garden, make special offers on trees and plants for community greening projects or try to teach young people the wonder and magic of plants that led you to make them your profession. Help people make the right choices of what to plant and where to plant and become a corporate sponsor of Millennium Green.

Joel Albizo, American Nursery & Landscape Association senior director of association and member services, has joined in planning for Millennium Green. He said: "This provides a terrific opportunity for everyone involved in the green industry to benefit from a new interest and enthusiasm for planting. What is particularly attractive about this program is that it offers the opportunity to participate in a lot of different ways. It's not a one-size-fits-all approach but has lots of ways our members can support this program on both the local and national level."

What's going to happen?

Here are some of the activities already going on.

One of the nonprofit partners in Millennium Green is the Tree Musketeers, a youth organization started in 1987 by 8-year-old Tara Church (now a senior in college). This organization is sponsoring the One in a Million campaign to get 1 million trees planted by young people by 2001. So far, more than 800,000 trees have been planted.

Tree People in Los Angeles is removing 20 million square feet of asphalt, 30 percent of the pavement at the schools, and replacing it with trees and gardens to shade, cool and protect children and classrooms.

Keep Islip Clean, on Long Island, N.Y., planted 115,000 tulip, daffodil and crocus bulbs from America the Beautiful Fund in 18 towns, along highways, in parks, and along main streets throughout Suffolk County.

American Forests is planting 8,197 trees per day, 341 trees per hour, 5.7 trees per minute to achieve their goal of 250 million trees planted by the end of 2001.

Chuck Leavell, a keyboardist who has played with the Rolling Stones, started his own tree farm near Macon, Ga., which now serves as an outdoor classroom and hands-on learning experience for students of all ages. Leavell carries the Millennium Green message of forest sustainability all over the world, working with National Arbor Day Foundation.

Keep California Beautiful is hoping to plant 1,000 trees along El Camino Real, the historic coastline road that links the California missions.

With the goal of planting 250 million trees and 1 million gardens, Millennium Green offers an opportunity to involve more people in the wonderful world of growing plants. To become a national sponsor of Millennium Green, call (800) 522-3557. Get on board the Millennium Green bandwagon now as it moves America into a greener tomorrow.

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© 2000 Branch-Smith Publishing