Trees of Life tree planting campaign

WV Interfaith Power and Light has recently initiated a statewide tree planting campaign. All faith communities in the state may participate and will have autonomy with choices such as where to plant trees and how to obtain them. WVIPL requests any community or individual in a faith community planting trees in 2019–2020 please register their tree planting and upload pictures to Facebook.

Find out more information about this program here. Find WV Interfaith Power and Light on Facebook here. More information, including an article on the importance of tree planting across the planet, can be found here.

Plant native trees

Non-native species continue to be a problem in West Virginia and elsewhere, so be sure that if you are planning a tree planting campaign, as suggested by the Interfaith Power and Light above, you plant native species.

Why are many non-native trees a problem? Because they have not evolved with the rest of the ecosystem and do not have natural predators. They crowd out native species that are part of the web of life and ecosystems that developed, in many cases, over millions of years. Native species are essential for native wildlife, pollinating, diverse ecosystems, and maintaining natural habitats.

Some alien and invasive trees that have been widely planted in West Virginia include Callery Pear (including Bradford Pear), Norway Maple, Princess Tree, Mimosa, Tree of Heaven, and White Mulberry. They have moved into natural areas and changed the habitats. 

Learn more:

  • “Trees of West Virginia” from the WV Division of Forestry – check with your regional DOF office to request a free copy, or the presbytery has one for free for anyone who is interested. (Be sure to check the information to find out if it is an alien tree because the book includes the Tree of Heaven, which is one of our invasive species.) The DOF’s webpage also had good suggestions for planting trees, including this brochure about trees for urban landscapes, but again be sure your choices are native trees.
  • WVDNR Invasive Plants webpage 
  • WV Native Plant Society 
  • Natural Resources Conservation Service has offices around the state that can provide help in finding the best habitats for particular trees 

Huntington-Charleston Solar Co-op

We will soon celebrate our second PWV congregational solar project. If you are considering a solar installation on church property, a small business, or your home, and you are located in or near the Charleston–Huntington area, you have until Aug. 30 to sign up for a co-op group that will allow you to get the best pricing possible on your system possible. Find out all the details and sign up for a free estimate here.