By Gary Lloyd
PINSON — The Turkey Creek Nature Preserve in Pinson has partnered with the Alabama Forestry Commission and the Arbor Day Foundation for an Alabama Tree Recovery Campaign tree giveaway to be held Feb. 8.
The event is part of a statewide effort to provide seedlings to communities affected by tornadoes in 2012.
The cities of Pinson, Clay and Trussville suffered significant damage in the Jan. 23, 2012, EF-3 tornado. Clay suffered the most damage, as six neighborhoods were affected, resulting in 321 damaged homes, 170 of which suffered heavy to severe damage. One person, 16-year-old Christina Heichelbech, died in the tornado, and 40 to 50 people were treated and transported to area hospitals.
The tree giveaway at Turkey Creek Nature Preserve will be held at the “Falls” parking lot starting at about 10 a.m. Feb. 8. It will continue until all the trees have been handed out.
The free seedlings available will include flowering dogwood, shumard oak, eastern redbud, blackgum and bald cypress.
“This is an amazing program that will greatly benefit the Pinson and surrounding communities,” Turkey Creek Nature Preserve Manager Charles Yeager said in an email.
As part of the Alabama Tree Recovery Campaign, a similar tree giveaway will be held Feb. 12 at 10 a.m. at the City of Clay Public Works and Feb. 15 at 8 a.m. at Argo City Hall.
More information will be released about the tree giveaway as the date approaches.
Contact Gary Lloyd at news@trussvilletribune.com and follow him on Twitter @GaryALloyd.