This Wednesday, Gainesville locals can participate in a tree-planting project to commemorate National Bike Month, which is held in May.
The tree planting will take place along a portion of the downtown connector bike trail at Southeast 10th Avenue and Southeast Veitch Street between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m.
The tree-planting effort relates to National Bike Month by way of environmentalism and trail practicality.
“Trees provide shade, scenery, better air, food and even habitation for our environment,” said Chip Skinner, the marketing and communications supervisor for the Regional Transit System. The trees “always work well along our area, biking and walking trails.”
In 2012, the Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Board, an advisory group to the City and County Commissions, planted trees for National Bike Month along the Waldo Road Greenway trail from Northeast 39th Avenue to Northeast 23rd Avenue.
“I think it’s (National Bike Month) a great opportunity to promote an economic friendly alternative to either car or bus,” said Hamza Ashraf, a 20-year-old UF mathematics major and local cyclist. “The tree planting effort coinciding with bike month is a great merger of efforts to lessen the carbon footprint we leave behind.”
No experience is necessary to participate in the tree-planting event. Anyone interested may RSVP to help.
