Plant a Tree This Arbor Day

23 Thursday Apr 2020

Posted by lionspridewi in Lions Camp, Special Events

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arbor day, celebration, coronavirus, dig, earth, environment, hole, holiday, impact, improvements, leaves, lions club, lions pride, location, next generation, planet, planting, positive, preserve, protect, provide, root ball, roots, safety, soil, spring, stay at home, success, sugar, tree, water, wisconsin, world

Photo Credit to Wisconsin Lions Camp

Friday marks the observance of Arbor Day, a holiday dedicated to celebrating the beneficial role that trees play in our lives. Of course, this year’s celebration will be different we’ve seen in years past due to the novel coronavirus and extended “Safer to Home” Orders.

Two years ago, we developed tips on planning a tree planting project with a group, but we know that these points may not be especially pertinent to life in 2020 since none of us can predict when it will be considered safe to gather in groups. However, we think it’s important to bear in mind that planting a tree doesn’t necessarily require a group; instead, it may be a memorable outing for families wanting to make a positive impact on the environment.

Since the ground is no longer frozen (that is here in Central Wisconsin,) now is a fantastic time to plant a tree. By planting in the spring, you allow the tree an opportunity to grow all summer long then prepare for the cold winter months. Nonetheless, there are a few challenges that you will likely need to address. With the help of BHG, we’ve compiled a few tips to improve your chances of a successful tree planting:

Safety first! Before even picking up the shovel, please be sure there will be no utility lines down below. Call the Diggers Hotline (811) before planning to dig. The dispatcher will ask you questions about your project and will need to reach out to local public utilities, which can take some time. The best time to call is two to three days before digging your hole.
When you are ready to plant, dig a hole two to three times as wide as the root ball of your tree to allow for sufficient backfill soil.
As you place the root ball within the hole, be sure to handle carefully to keep it all intact.
Once the root ball is in your ideal location, surround it with lightly packed soil. Loose soil will help the roots grow easily.
The biggest obstacle to planting in the spring is that the tree will need to make new roots and new leaves at the same time, which requires a lot of sugar and water. Be sure to give the tree a large drink of water just after planting and every day for weeks after. Adding mulch to the base of the tree will help keep the weeds out and reduce water loss.

If you are a Lion or Lioness, and plan to plant one or more trees in observance of Arbor Day, we invite you to share your numbers with Multiple District’s Environmental Chair, Lion Anita LeCleir at tia1937@yahoo.com.

At Lions Pride, our job is to preserve, protect and provide for Lions Camp and all other WLF projects, but we think those three essential words can also be applied to our responsibility as conscious citizens.

Instead of thinking of Arbor Day as just a one-day celebration, perhaps we can consider it as an opportunity to continually come up with new ways to improve the world around us. Remember that small steps, like planting a tree, can have a positive effect on our environment as well as generations to come.

Thank you for continuing to protect Planet Earth!

Easy Ways to Celebrate the Planet

25 Thursday Apr 2019

Posted by lionspridewi in Holidays, Lions Camp, News, Special Events

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april, arbor day, campers, celebrate, combine errands, creatures, dry laundry, earth, earth day, eco conscious, environmental awareness, farmers market, fix leaky faucet, go green, interdependence, lions pride, mother nature, organizations, paperless billing, plant a tree, reusable bags, reuse scrap paper, self-confidence, social skills, sustainable business, tree, unplug, wisconsin lions camp

Photo Credit to Wisconsin Lions Camp

We’ve had Mother Nature on our minds this week. On Monday, we celebrated Earth Day, and tomorrow marks the 147^th annual Arbor Day. With so many unofficial planet-related holidays, the month of April gives us a fantastic opportunity to think about our role as living creatures on Planet Earth.

We have great admiration for organizations who choose to make Mother Nature a primary focus in their everyday operations. In the past few years, we’ve witnessed the birth of successful eco-conscious startups, as well as many large companies (such as McDonald’s and SC Johnson), adopt more sustainable business practices. As we began brainstorming green organizations, another one immediately came to mind; an organization that is a little more local and very close to our hearts. We’re talking about the Wisconsin Lions Camp, of course!

As you likely already know, Lions Camp is located on 440 acres of land centered around Lions Lake in Rosholt, Wisconsin. During the summer months, the camp acts as the temporary home of weekly campers. During their week away, attendees spend the majority of their time outdoors, so it probably isn’t surprising to learn that they have a grand respect for Mother Nature.

While assisting the children with self-confidence, interdependence and social skills, the Wisconsin Lions Camp staff focuses on providing campers with strong environmental awareness. Campers are strongly encouraged to sign up for programs to learn about different areas of the environment. A few of the activities include nature hikes, animal tracking and water studies. They also have the opportunity to hear nature’s stories, first-hand, and play animal trivia. The ultimate goal is to teach the children to leave the environment in better condition than it was found.

As individuals, we can learn a lot from these organizations like Lions Camp by finding ways to show our respect for Planet Earth. Here are a few easy ways to “go green” at home:

Plant a tree
Opt-in to paperless billing options
Dry your laundry on a clothesline
Unplug appliances and charges when not in use
Combine errands into one trip
Use reusable bags instead of plastic
Shop at your local farmer’s market
Fix leaky faucets
Collect rainwater for your houseplants and the garden
Reuse scrap paper

At Lions Pride, our job is to preserve, protect and provide for Lions Camp and all other WLF projects. We think those three words can also apply to our responsibility as conscious citizens.

By taking small steps towards greener living, we can all make a big difference to the world we live in. Let’s work together to celebrate the planet every day.

Plan a Tree Planting Project

26 Thursday Apr 2018

Posted by lionspridewi in Holidays, News, Special Events

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agriculture, arbor day, budget, centennial service challenge, committee, community, earth, environmental benefits, expenses, fall, flyer, forestry, health, lcif, lions club, lions pride, living species, local group, marketing, materials, media, outline, plan, planting, procedures, project, trees, volunteer

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” –Chinese proverb

As the long living species on Earth, trees have an amazing ability to connect to the past, present and future, while also providing a whole slew of environmental and health benefits. Here in Wisconsin, many of us are lucky enough to be surrounded by trees of all shapes and sizes, but that doesn’t mean we should sit back and idle.

Tomorrow marks the observance of Arbor Day, and while the ground may still be a bit too frozen to physically plant a tree, there’s no better time to make plans for a club tree planting project.

As part of the Lions organization, we understand that every tree planted is part of a broader scale effort by members all over the world to make a significant impact on the environment. According to the European Environment Agency, one mature tree will absorb more than 48 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release oxygen in exchange. Read more interesting tree facts from the Arbor Day Foundation.

Before creating your tree planting project, consider the following preparations from LCIF:

Evaluate your community’s needs – is there an area where new trees may be more beneficial over others?
Work with a local forestry or agriculture department to identify the most appropriate tree species for the local environment.
Partner with other local groups or organizations to leverage resources and expertise.
Outline a plan that includes procedures, materials needed and expenses.
Submit your plan and budget to your club, district or multiple district for approval.

Once your plan is approved, the fun can begin:

Request Lion volunteers for the project committee.
Obtain approvals or permit for your project, if necessary.
Create marketing materials such as a flyer, press release or social media post to promote the event – be sure to include protective clothing recommendations for volunteers!
Invite the local media to observe or take part in the project.
Remember, if your Lions Club participates, you will fulfill complete the Environment portion of the Centennial Service Challenge.

There’s no need to worry about rushing to complete your tree planting project. Some experts even say that planting in the fall can have its advantages. No matter when you decide to plant trees, remember that you are making an important contribution to both present day life as well as future generations.

Happy Arbor Day from Lions Pride!

Lions Pride Endowment Fund of Wisconsin

~ Today's Help, Tomorrow's Hope for Lions Camp and all WLF Projects

Tag Archives: arbor day

Plant a Tree This Arbor Day

Plan a Tree Planting Project