Seedling giveaways fell to 1,562 this year; board to pursue stronger school outreach

Board members reviewed the village’s Earth Day and Arbor Day activities and seedling distribution counts on June 4. Will and board members reported the village distributed 1,562 seedlings to schools this year, down about half from earlier years. "We only gave away 1,562 seedlings to the schools this year," Will said.

Board members and volunteers said participation dropped because some regular school contacts retired or changed roles and because the garden‑center plant sale at Mounts coincided with the same weekend. Members proposed reestablishing school contacts through the district’s regional liaison, reaching out to homeschool associations, the Wellington Boys & Girls Club and garden‑club networks, and using the village newsletter and Parks & Recreation mailing list to publicize the program.

Will and the board also discussed logistics: whether the village can deliver seedlings to private schools and preschools, how to coordinate cleanup and invasive species removal where plantings are proposed, and whether symbolic small‑tree giveaways are effective at school sites without additional protection and larger stock. One board member said experience shows small seedlings often fail in school gardens unless protected and planted as larger 10–12‑foot specimens or with physical barriers until established.

Members asked staff to compile updated contact lists for participating schools and to reach out to the district regional contact to reestablish distribution channels ahead of the fall planting and the garden‑club planting event in September.