Celebrate Spring with Birds, Trees and Freebies

Okay, so it’s time to wake up. Buds are about to burst, crocus smiles its lovely lilac smile, and bulbs have shot up with verdant pride. Birds are singing in the light of the new sun. It’s time to shake off the overheated classroom sluggishness and get students out to hear them.

Why not plant trees so they’ll sing even more? There are a few options that’ll get you and your students eco-rapping. If you have space on school grounds, you’ll want to contact Trees New York. They have a city-approved program to plant trees on school grounds. They also have programs to help students learn how to care for their new barky, green-haired friends.

If there’s space around the periphery of your school, put in your request for a onemilliontreesnyc tree(s) now and hopefully they’ll put down your new roots by fall. (Check out their “Make Every Day an Arbor Day,” a free curriculum guide sponsored by the Million Trees Initiative.)

If you hurry with your request, you’ll be able to mark out Arbor Day with free trees from the NYC Arbor Day Committee by contacting State Street JLN WOLF, Inc., jlnwolfinc@aol.com and (718) 834-4589.

The Department of Environmental Conservation provides 50 tree seedlings or a mixed packet of 30 wildlife shrubs to any school that would like to participate. Just contact their nursery at (518) 581-1439. The seedlings can be planted on school grounds or other community space.

If you have outdoor growing space at school, make sure you register with GreenThumb. Their garden workshops and giveaways will build you beds and take you to seed-sprouting heaven. (If you need more seeds, write a quick appeal to America the Beautiful Fund. They’ll ship enough seeds for guerilla gardening for blocks around.)

And what’s spring without pedaling about a bit? Get free bike racks installed on sidewalks around your school, so when school gets out you’re just a pedal away from an afternoon frolic. Not to mention you’ll be modeling green behavior (throw a solar-paneled backpack on with a clip-on mug and Chico bag and you’ll be respectin’ yo’ mama). You don’t even have to go barefoot.