Alliance for Community Trees and CSX Announce National NeighborWoods® Tree Plantings and Giveaways

WASHINGTON, D.C., August 4, 2014 – Alliance for Community Trees (ACTrees) and CSX are partnering with local greening organizations to strengthen and reestablish urban tree canopies. As part of ACTrees’ National NeighborWoods® Month in October, 30 communities across the country will receive CSX Tree Giveaway Grants and CSX Restoration Grants.

“ACTrees appreciates CSX’s long-standing passion for community greening and the work our members are doing,” says Executive Director Carrie Gallagher. “After working together to accomplish the CSX Trees for Tracks goal of planting 21,000 trees last year, we’re excited that CSX is continuing to support ACTrees member initiatives to bring the environmental and economic benefits of trees to communities.”

“At CSX, we are committed to continually improving our environment and helping to make the communities we serve cleaner and greener,” said Tori Kaplan, assistant vice president corporate social responsibility, CSX. “National NeighborWoods® Month allows us to support a real difference in 30 communities, in collaboration with ACTrees, to protect and improve the country’s natural resources.”  

CSX Giveaway Grants will fund tree giveaways of 75 or more large trees during National NeighborWoods® Month. Trees will be given to the public, neighborhood associations, and community organizations at no cost. ACTrees members will provide technical assistance and planting instructions to those who receive trees.

These giveaways will strengthen the urban canopies of 15 communities: Arlington, VA; Baltimore, MD; Bloomington, IN; Carmel, IN; Detroit, MI; Fredericksburg, VA; Grabill, IN; Indianapolis, IN; Louisville, KY; New Orleans, LA; New York, NY; Philadelphia, PA; Richmond, VA; Richmond Hill, GA; and St. Louis, MO.

CSX Restoration Grants will fund plantings in communities that recently lost canopy coverage due to extreme storms, pests, and diseases, as well as in sensitive riparian buffer zones along urban waters. Replanting trees in city parks, along streets, and in riparian areas will restore urban forests in these communities.

In addition, ACTrees members will perform i-Tree analysis on the grant-funded trees to calculate the measurable impact these new trees will make, including stormwater runoff adsorbed, carbon captured, and the dollar value of these benefits.

These grants will help rebuild the canopies and watersheds of 15 communities: Atlanta, GA; Baltimore, MD; Buffalo, NY; Chicago, IL; Cleveland, OH; Frankfort, KY; Greenville, SC; Pittsburgh, PA; Raleigh, NC; Savannah, GA; St. Louis, MO; Valparaiso, IN; Washington, IL; and Wilmington, DE.

Want to get involved? Interested volunteers in these cities can find their local ACTrees member organization at www.ACTrees.org.

For the past four years, CSX and ACTrees have partnered to provide and promote urban and community tree planting, care, conservation and education. Together CSX employees and ACTrees members have planted more than 22,600 trees.

National NeighborWoods® Month is the annual celebration of trees in our communities. Every October, tens of thousands of volunteers take action to make their communities greener and healthier by planting trees—turning their neighborhoods into vibrant, livable NeighborWoods®. Be part of this national event. Join in at www.NeighborWoodsMonth.org.

About Alliance for Community Trees
Alliance for Community Trees (ACTrees) is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the health and livability of cities by planting and caring for trees. With over 200 member and partner organizations in 44 states and Canada, Alliance for Community Trees engages volunteers to take action to improve the environment where 93% of people live: in cities, towns, and metropolitan areas. Together Alliance for Community Trees member organizations have planted and cared for more than 15 million trees with help from over 5 million volunteers. Learn more about our mission at www.ACTrees.org and follow us on Twitter @alliance4trees.

About CSX Corporation
CSX Corporation, based in Jacksonville, Florida, is one of the nation's leading transportation companies, providing rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services. The company's transportation network spans approximately 21,000 miles, with service to 23 eastern states and the District of Columbia, and connects to more than 70 ocean, river and lake ports. More information about CSX Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at the company's web site, www.csx.com.