National Wildlife Week, March 18-24, Celebrates "Branching Out for Wildlife"
Children Learn About the Value of Trees for Wildlife
02-19-2013 // Mary Burnette
National Wildlife Federation (NWF) will be helping children get to the root of things during the 75th annual National Wildlife Week, March 18-24. Families, youth organizations, and communities will be coming together to celebrate the many ways trees help sustain local wildlife and enhance the environment. With a theme of “Branching Out For Wildlife,” the week, sponsored by NWF, will also provide opportunities to restore habitat and re-build communities by planting trees where they can do the most good.
School and youth groups can apply to host a tree plantingwith NWF which will provide native trees adapted to the local climate. The National Wildlife Week website provides a guide to help organize an event by giving step-by-step instructions to ensure that the planted trees grow and thrive. More than 100 events are already being planned across the country including several in the New York metro and New Jersey areas in an effort to restore wildlife habitat destroyed by Superstorm Sandy last year.
NWF’s goal is to plant 75,000 trees to mark the 75th anniversary of National Wildlife Week.
Students and teachers will benefit from the many online resources developed by NWF to celebrate the week, including lesson plans, posters, trading cards and after-school activities.
“Children love learning about wildlife and their habitat. National Wildlife Week will inspire educators and caregivers to take their kids outdoors to explore the natural world, plant trees, and learn the important ways trees contribute to a healthy environment,” said Kevin Coyle, VP of Education and Training for the National Wildlife Federation.
To learn more about National Wildlife Week, download the Branching Out poster or access lesson plans, Visit
http://www.nwf.org/National-Wildlife-Week.aspx