The University of Idaho Sustainability Center promises to plant one tree for every “Like” they get on Facebook.
The Paradise Creek Path between Moscow and Pullman will receive a new tree every time the Sustainability Center receives a like on Facebook.
Adria Mead, student director for the sustainability center, said the Facebook group has already received more than 200 likes. She said there was already one planting session in the fall where volunteers planted 146 trees along the bike path between Moscow and Pullman. Mead said they teamed up with the Palouse Conservation District in the fall, and will be doing the same in the spring.
She said some of the new trees from Facebook will also be planted on the Paradise Path, but the rest will be planted on the slope behind the facilities building across the street from the Kibbie Dome.
“They are allowing us to take that slope and turn it into an environment,” Mead said.
Mead said a wide variety of plants and trees have already been ordered to cover the slope. She said the group plans on planting a mixture of Ponderosa Pine, Western Larch and Aspen trees along with an assortment of Service Berry, Hawthorne, Blue Elder, Chokecherry and Snowberry plants to cover the ground.
She said volunteers are recruited from many organizations, including multiple fraternities and sororities on campus, help with the planting, and there is always room for more people willing to help.
Alex Rheault is a senior environmental science major working with the sustainability center. She said the amount of volunteers who help with each event range from 20 to 40 people.
“We will first be planting trees during Earth Fest this year, and then during Saturday of Service,” Rheault said.
Rheault said this year the sustainability center is hoping to make Earth Fest a much bigger event than in the past.
“Facebook is the main way we spread information,” Rheault said.
Rheault said the center came up with this event to help get more volunteers and support.
The Facebook page has set a limit on how many trees can be planted for this event. Both Mead and Rheault said they hope they can get a good amount of support, but the limit is set at 1,000.
Erik Fink can be reached at [email protected]
More info
For more information e-mail the stainability center at [email protected] or call them at (208) 885-0124.