Wild Roots: Ensure a Better Tomorrow by Planting Trees Today

Conservation Resource Alliance (CRA), in partnership with area Conservation Districts, is pleased to announce the 2021 season of Wild Roots. Wild Roots is a Cost-Share Program that allows landowners and organizations to order native seedlings at a highly reduced-cost, off-set by the generous support of our funding partners. The program kicks off online Wednesday, November 3rd and runs until supplies last.
    This year Wild Roots is expanding with the addition of Antrim and Kalkaska, joining Mason-Lake, Manistee, Grand Traverse, Leelanau, and Benzie as the seven participating Conservation Districts in the CRA program. Landowners are encouraged to utilize Wild Roots at their local level. Conservation Districts offer great resources to help navigate the various landscapes of Northern Michigan with expert advice, tools, and education to ensure a successful planting experience for Wild Roots participants.
    Wild Roots offers packages that have been carefully crafted to suit different habitats, including Riparian, Upland, and Wildlife areas. Assisted Range Expansion Project (ATREP) and Pollinator packages offer innovative avenues to help combat climate change and increase biodiversity. Each package consists of 50 native seedlings (2 species – 25 each) for only $15. With a focused effort on maximum survival Wildlife Browse Protection Packages are recommended for $20 (protection for 25 seedlings). Orders can be placed online at www.rivercare.org/wildroots. Participants will pick-up the packages at their local Conservation District next spring.
    The overall goal of Wild Roots is to plant 100,000 native trees across Northern Michigan by 2023, to help restore and improve natural habitats for future generations. Beyond their immediate impact, trees are the most efficient and cost-effective method of carbon sequestration to date and our best defense against a changing climate. From reducing runoff and flooding, filtering pollutants, providing shade and habitat to overall increased resiliency for people, wildlife, and our precious water bodies alike - trees play an integral role in each of our lives.
    Wild Roots is made possible through generous funding from these partner agencies & organizations: Consumer’s Energy Foundation, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation – Sustain Our Great Lakes Program, and Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund. Also, this project is funded in part by a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant through the United States Environmental Protection Agency and Wildlife Habitat Grant from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
Established in 1968, Conservation Resource Alliance is a private, non-profit organization that coordinates sensible stewardship of the land throughout northwest Michigan. CRA has facilitated natural resource conservation projects for over 50 years, tackling high-priority problems that threaten to degrade Michigan’s world-class waterways, landscapes, and rich wildlife diversity. For more information contact the Conservation Resource Alliance at (231) 946-6817,  info@rivercare.org, or visit www.rivercare.org.