Geauga Park District taking reservations for Earth Day Drive-Through

Apr. 4—Geauga Park District's Natural Resource Management staff is inviting the public to celebrate Earth Day 2024 through its annual Earth Day Drive-Through.

Sign up to pick up a bag full of native plants on April 20, at Veterans Legacy Woods, 14085 Ravenna Road in Newbury Township. Fifteen-minute increments are still available from 1 to 3 p.m. but are filling fast at $5 each, according to a news release.

Bags will be distributed one per vehicle/family; if carpooling, participants are asked to have their passengers register separately during the same timeslot and bring receipts/email confirmation. Registration can be completed at www.geaugaparkdistrict.org or 440-286-9516.

This year's giveaways may include native prairie plants and wildflowers such as common and swamp milkweed, purple coneflower, senna, black-eyed Susan, vervain, partridge pea, foxglove beardtongue, yellow/gray coneflower, boneset, ironweed, cup plant, blazing star, mountain mint, culvers root and New England aster.

"These were chosen to encourage residents to plant these native additions to their home yards and gardens which will provide native pollinators with preferred host plants and nectar sources," Park Biologist Paul Pira stated in the release.

Geauga Park District staff will also distribute native tree seedlings including white pine, white oak, sycamore, black walnut and sugar maple. It's likely there will be enough supply for the distribution of a few plants/trees per vehicle, according to the release.

For those who don't need plants for their property but want to help, there's still room to come April 20 to plant trees from 1 to 4 p.m.

To sign up individuals, visit the Park District's website under "Programs & Events" and click April 20 on the calendar; to sign up a group of five or more before April 7, go to Activities, then Special Events & Art Shows, and scroll down to the volunteer application under 1,000 Trees.