32K Trees To Be Planted On Howard County Property

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — In honor of Arbor Day, Howard County Executive Calvin Ball announced a new partnership between the Howard County government and the Maryland Department of Nature Resources to expand Howard County’s tree canopy.

In his proposed fiscal year 2025 budget, Ball has included $230,000 in funding to support the DNR’s efforts to plant 32,800 trees on roughly 82 acres of state land in Howard County. This project will be the largest planting of any kind ever in Howard County, officials said.

The trees will support the health of both the Patuxent and Patapsco watersheds, which contribute to quality of life and sustain the Chesapeake Bay.

"Last year, Gov. Moore rolled out Maryland’s 5 Million Trees Initiative to meet the goals of the 2021 ‘Tree Solutions Now Act.' In Howard County, we are committed to doing our part to plant one native tree for each of our residents by 2031 and this monumental new partnership with DNR will dramatically accelerate our tree planting efforts to achieve that goal. Through this tremendous initiative and other tree planting programs, we are ensuring Howard County remains the best place to live, work, play, GROW and thrive for all for many years to come," said Howard County Executive Calvin Ball.

"Maryland's '5 Million Trees' initiative is an incredible commitment from our state government to safeguard our communities, conserve our natural heritage and bolster our economy in the face of uncertainty from a changing climate. Accomplishing this shared goal simply isn't possible without the coordinated efforts and partnership of a wide range of landowners and stakeholders across the state," added Justin Bowers, deputy director, Maryland Forest Service, Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

In celebration of Arbor Day and to mark Howard County’s 2024 designation as a “Tree City USA,” Ball also today joined Dayton Oaks Elementary School Principal Adrienne Williams-McKinney, staff and students to plant 70 new trees as part of the county’s Students Branching Out program. This program engages Howard County students in local tree planting efforts each spring and fall. To date, more than 6,500 trees have been planted with the help thousands of Howard County students.

“This is a wonderful activity for our 5th grade students that highlights our school and our shared commitment to the environment. We look forward to watching the trees grow in the coming years,” Williams-McKinney said.