MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - Yesterday’s Environmental Commission meeting ended with a conversation regarding Meridian Township’s Tree Planting Project for 2020.

The project involves Meridian Township in partnership with residents, its Environmental Commission, Ingham Conservation District, local schools and others to plant trees.

“It’s a feel-good activity that engages people and communities and so I think that was the heart of this,” said Environmental Programs Coordinator LeRoy Harvey.

There are several ways to get involved according to the Township. Those include planting a tree, organizing a tree planting in your neighborhood, school, business, or other congregation, getting involved with an existing tree-planting day, learning more about planting trees, and sharing information with others.

“There’s many good reasons to plant trees, of course,” said John Sarver, the Vice Chair of the Environmental Commission. “We did reference the sustainability plan that comes from tree planting with respect to carbon dioxide removal and shading, people use less energy, there’s multiple health and aesthetic reasons for doing the tree initiative.”

Environmental Commissioner James Kielbaso said that this initiative was proposed by the Township Board prior to COVID-19, but the plan is still holding up. The Township Board granted the environmental commission a sum of $10,000 which is set aside for tree planting in Meridian Township.

A Tree Team is discussing a planting site at Okemos and Haslett Schools for the fall and/or spring of 2021. There is still uncertainty about whether that will take place in the fall, Harvey said.

The next Environmental Commission meeting will be held in July.