The trees from the Packers' "First Downs for Trees" program were picked up by Brown County communities on Wednesday at Meacham Nursery in Green Bay.
First Downs for Trees is a cooperative effort between the Packers and partners Green Bay Packaging Inc. and SCA. The program receives administrative support from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Wisconsin Public Service.
In the program's sixth year, 490 trees were donated to 19 local communities. Photos by Katie Hermsen, Packers.com
One of the Packers' Green Team initiatives, the program donates trees to participating Brown County communities based on the number of first downs scored by the Packers in the previous season. The program donated 490 trees this year, the sixth year of the program, to 19 local communities.
On Wednesday, 15 of the participating communities picked up their trees, including Pulaski, Suamico, Bellevue, Allouez and Brown County, to name a few.
A ceremonial tree planting event will be held to celebrate this year's donation sometime in May.
The trees from the program provide total lifetime benefits of more than $15 million through stormwater runoff reduction, CO2 reduction, energy savings, air quality improvement and property value increase. Over their lifetime, the tree benefits exceed the costs of planting and care, representing a 300 percent return on investment. Tree benefits increase over time, highlighting the importance of not only planting trees, but of providing ongoing maintenance and protection.
