Members of the Pennsylvania Landscape and Nursery Association delivered live silver maple trees to each House and Senate member as a way to celebrate Arbor Day and to spread the word about the proposed Resource Enhancement and Protection Act (REAP).

Chad Forcey, PLNA’s Director of Government Relations, and Jim MacKenzie, from Octorara Nursery who donated the trees, organized volunteers to package and deliver them to the desk of each legislator.

PLNA has endorsed REAP, which would provide transferable tax credits to farmers who install best management practices like forested stream buffers, as a “win-win for Pennsylvania.”

“The Department of Environmental Protection’s own estimates are that an additional $175 million per year is needed for agriculture conservation measurers in Pennsylvania’s Chesapeake Bay watershed alone,” said Forcey.

“REAP would enable the Commonwealth to clean up thousands of miles of impaired waterways statewide, provide cleaner drinking water supplies to communities and support Pennsylvania’s agricultural community in a significant way.

“(REAP) is bipartisan, pro-farmers, pro-business and pro-environment. A broad coalition of groups including the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, the Pennsylvania State Grange and the Pennsylvania Environmental Council support REAP.

“Through this innovative mechanism, REAP would create a new conservation partnership between the public and private sector.”

Pennsylvania’s $5.6 billion landscape, nursery and retail garden industry employs over 75,000 people. The nursery and floriculture segement of agriculture represents the largest cash crop and fastest growing sector of agriculture in the Commonwealth.

For more information, visit the PLNA website, Arbor Day and the REAP webpages.

Video Blog: Rep. Stern Describes Effectiveness of Live Tree Program

4/27/2007