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Volunteers Wanted To Help Plant 15,000 Trees In Detroit

DETROIT (WWJ) - Fighting Detroit blight the natural way — that's the goal of a new tree-planting project led by Hantz Woodlands, a local agricultural company.

Adam Hollier, Vice President of Hantz Woodlands, says 15,000 trees will be planted on May 17 to establish a new hardwood forest within the city.

"We're planting white oak, we're planting sugar maple, we're planting swamp oak, we're gonna plant some flowering dogwoods, and a little bit of red oak," Hollier told WWJ Newsradio 950. "So, you know, it's five or six varieties of trees that we're gonna be planting, and we're gonna track and see how they're doing over time."

Hantz last year got the OK from Detroit's emergency manager and Gov. Rick Snyder to buy 1,500 parcels of land on the city's east side for agricultural use. The group has since been clearing the blighted property and plans to use 140 acres for the forest project.

Hollier said 850 people have signed up to help so far, and they still need volunteers for the tree plantings which begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday.

"We're out pre-drilling all the holes; it's gonna go pretty quick," he said. "We're gonna be mulching, and we're gonna do a little bit of cleanup in the neighborhoods, you know, really make this project really look like a wonderful and unique space in an urban community."

[For more information on how you can help or to sign up, visit this link]

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