INSTITUTE, W.Va. — West Virginia State University and Diversified Energy Company unveiled a partnership Wednesday which calls for planting 10,000 trees in West Virginia over the course of 2023.
“This really aligns perfectly with our Land Grant mission,” said WVSU President Ericke Cage. “As a Land Grant institution we are committed to improving our community across West Virginia in all 55 counties with agricultural sustainability and environmental stewardship.”
The plantings will be handed in three phases according to Cage. The first phase will be working with volunteers through the university’s extension service and providing those trees to be set out in various areas. Phase two will be a partnership with Future Farmers of American chapters around the state to facility tree planting. The third phase will be an effort to partner with local churches or civic organizations to plant trees through the program in urban areas.
“I’ve planted trees on our campus because we’re a National Tree Campus and first in West Virginia through a partnership with the National Arbor Day Foundation, so we already have a real commitment here at West Virginia State,” Cage added.
Diversified Energy will foot the bill for the program with a $125,000 donation.