The Green Bay Packers, along with Green Bay Packaging Inc., marked the 16th successful year of the "First Downs for Trees" program Monday by planting a tree at Ledgeview Park.
One of the Packers' Green Team initiatives, the program donates trees to participating Brown County communities based on the number of first downs scored by the Packers in the previous season.
Thanks to Green Bay Packaging Inc., the program's corporate partner, 394 trees were donated to 16 local communities for the 16th year of the program. Over 60 years, the 394 trees are projected to provide over $215,000 in benefits because of the trees' removal of air pollution and reduction of stormwater runoff. Furthermore, as mature trees they could be worth over $1.6 million as structural assets in these communities.
Two nurseries, Meacham Nursery and Leaves Inspired, provided the trees this year. A combination of elm, oak, hickory, birch, maple, honey locust and linden are among the species that were planted.
Receiving trees this year were Allouez, Ashwaubenon, Bellevue, Brown County, De Pere, Green Bay, Hobart, Howard, Lawrence, Ledgeview, Morrison, Oneida, Pulaski, Scott, Suamico and Wrightstown.
The program receives administrative support from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Wisconsin Public Service.
First Downs for Trees complements the team's recycling and landfill diversion programs at Lambeau Field by targeting the carbon emitted by the Packers' air charters to road games, which is approximately 450 tons in a year.
Since 2011, 7,938 trees have been planted through the program, providing total lifetime benefits of approximately $36 million through stormwater runoff reduction, CO2 reduction, energy savings, air quality improvement and property value increase. Over their lifetime, the tree benefits exceed the costs of planting and care, representing a 300 percent return on investment. Tree benefits increase over time, highlighting the importance of not only planting trees, but of providing ongoing maintenance and protection.
