Schoolyard tree canopy program continues to take root in NH

The New Hampshire Division of Forests and Lands’ Urban and Community Forestry Program has opened applications for this year’s Schoolyard Canopy Enhancement Program, which provides New Hampshire schools with trees and helps turn growing and maintaining them into a learning experience.

“New Hampshire is so well-known for its forests and it’s really encouraging to see how excited kids get when their school is involved in the program,” said A.J. Dupere, urban forester at the NH Division of Forests and Lands. “They ask a million great questions about ‘their trees,’ and because they take part in planting them, they’re really invested in their long-term success.”

Thirty-three schools across seven New Hampshire counties have participated in the program, now in its fourth year. Selected schools receive two or three trees, depending on availability, with an emphasis on native species. Evergreen species such as juniper and white spruce and deciduous trees, including serviceberry and red maple, have been planted in the past.

Any school interested in applying for the Schoolyard Canopy Enhancement Program must submit the one-page application by April 3. Required information includes who will participate in the planting event, how many students will be involved and who will take care of the trees in the short and long term.

Schools with the greatest need for trees will be prioritized. If a school is selected to participate, staff from the Urban Forestry Center will work with teachers, principals, municipal staff and students to plan the planting process, select tree species, choose where they’ll be planted and develop a maintenance schedule.

Trees will be delivered the day of the planting event and mulch, stakes and ties will be provided by the Schoolyard Canopy Enhancement Program. Schools are required to provide water and, if possible, to supply shovels, iron rakes, wheelbarrows and other planting tools on planting day.

Planting events must be scheduled to take place prior to June 13. While Urban Forestry Center staff will be on hand to assist with placement, a vital component of the program requires students to be present and help so that they may learn more about how to successfully plant trees. 

There is no cost to participate in New Hampshire’s Schoolyard Canopy Enhancement Program. For more information, including to receive the one-page application form, contact Liz McKinley, community forester, at elizabeth.c.mckinley@dncr.nh.gov.

New Hampshire’s Urban and Community Forestry Program runs the Schoolyard Canopy Enhancement Program in partnership with UNH Cooperative Extension. Funding is provided by the USDA Forest Service.

Learn more at nhdfl.dncr.nh.gov.