Free seeds offer easier start to residents replanting

PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Almost 6 months since Hurricane Florence, Pender County Parks and Recreation wants to help residents tackling damaged gardens and yards.

The North Carolina Forest Service Nursery provided the River Birch, Pignut Hickory, Chestnut Oak and Sycamore seedlings. The Arbor Day Tree Nursery provided the White Dogwood seedlings. In total, over 1000 seedlings were available for residents at this event.

Parks and Recreation Supervisor Zach White says this is the first time Pender County has hosted an event like this, but hopes to make this an annual event.

“We looked at as a rebirth period or regrowth period for the county,” said White. “People are rebuilding and fixing things up after the hurricane and trees are apart of that.”

Pender County collected over 600 cubic yards of vegetative debris in the weeks following the hurricane.

With the expert help of Pender County Master Gardeners and the Lions Club, several hundred residents benefited from this seed giveaway.