- November 5, 2024
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As the morning gloom cleared, about 60 members of the three local Rotary Clubs rolled into Princess Place Preserve on Saturday, March 31, to plant 220 longleaf pines in an open field near the eagle nest observation site.
The project was done in response to a call by Rotary International President Ian Riseley for the international organization's members to plant 1.2 million trees — one for every Rotarian.
Volunteers from the Rotary Clubs of Flagler County, Palm Coast and Flagler Beach dug holes and placed the trees around the about one-acre space, covering each hole with the surrounding soil.
The effort was spearheaded by the Rotary Club of Flagler County President Tracy Loftus and organized by Mike Kuypers and Bill Butler, who worked with the county to select the location. Money from all three clubs was used to purchase the seedlings.
"This is the first time we've ever done a tree planting," Butler said. "We've planted memorial trees for people before, but nothing on this scale."
The goal for Rotary International is to plant 1.2 million trees around the world by Earth Day on April 22.
"There’s something about planting a tree that speaks to people in a very primal way," Risley said in a press release. "It shows a long-term commitment to the community. Rotary does many wonderful community projects: We build playgrounds and clean up rubbish and many other things. But somehow, planting a tree captures the imagination."