In preparation for the state’s annual celebration of Arbor Week, the Alabama Forestry Commission will be offering free seedlings next week to help make the future even more green.

The Dallas County office of the AFC will be giving away a variety of seedlings on Wednesday, Feb. 19 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Valley Grande Park and walking trail, and then at 2 p.m. at the Orrville Community Center.

Brigetta Giles, Dallas County Forester with the AFC, said the giveaway is an important chance for the organization to share some information about the work they do, along with distributing the young trees.

“It’s very important to have an event like this,” Giles said. “Because we will be giving everybody who shows up information on how to take care of their trees as well as about programs we have at throughout the year at the Alabama Forestry Commission.”

Giles said people who come in hopes of receiving a seedling or two will have the chance to pick between a few varieties of trees.

“It will be a variety of oaks and ornamental trees,” Giles said. “We usually have several different oaks and crape myrtles, and people can get up to two of each variety of trees.”

According to the AFC, some 75,000 seedlings provided in the giveaways last year were grown and purchased from Wallace State Community College’s Hopper Nursery in Hanceville.

“We all need trees,” said Dan Jackson, Alabama’s Acting State Forester. “They provide a multitude of environmental, economic, and social benefits to the communities and citizens of Alabama. It’s our hope that more families across the state will take part in this celebration and share the joy of planting trees.”

The mission of the Alabama Forestry Commission is to protect and sustain Alabama’s forest resources using professionally applied stewardship principals and education, ensuring that the state’s forests contribute to abundant timber and wildlife, clean air and water, and a healthy economy.