This Valentine\u2019s Day, Feb. 14, the Greater Pine Island Civic Association will once again join forces with the Pine Island Garden Club and the Calusa Land Trust to show Pine Island some love during a special pine tree giveaway.<\/p>\n
The effort will provide free longleaf pine seedlings to Island residents to help repopulate Pine Island with native trees lost due to the stress and subsequent beetle infestation from hurricanes Ian, Helene and Milton. <\/p>\n
The trees come from the Florida Forest Service, which produces more than 4 million bare-root pine seedlings at its Andrews Nursery in Chiefland, Florida, annually and sells them in bulk to non-commercial growers. By purchasing in bulk, the GPICA is able to make them available to Pine Islanders who may only want to plant one or two on their properties.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe GPICA is excited to once again team up with the Garden Club and the Land Trust for this giveaway,\u201d said GPICA Vice President Nadine Slimak. \u201cOur organizations are dedicated to supporting the island\u2019s landscapes and we hope that providing free seedlings to residents will encourage them to plant Florida native vegetation to help promote a healthy and sustainable environment on the Island.\u201d<\/p>\n