Green Bay Reporter

The Green Bay Packers and Green Bay Packaging Inc. marked the 15th year of their "First Downs for Trees" program with a tree planting at Josten Park in Bellevue on Friday.

As part of the Packers' Green Team initiatives, the program donates trees to Brown County communities based on the number of first downs achieved by the team during the previous season.

Green Bay Packaging, Inc., serving as the program's corporate partner, provided funding this spring that allowed for the planting of 350 trees across 15 communities in Brown County.

This year, Meacham Nursery and Leaves Inspired supplied a variety of tree species including elm, maple, lilac, oak, honey locust and flowering crab.

Communities receiving trees were Allouez, Ashwaubenon, Bellevue, Brown County, De Pere, Green Bay, Hobart, Howard, Lawrence, Ledgeview, Oneida, Pulaski, Scott, Suamico and Wrightstown.

Administrative support is provided by both the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Wisconsin Public Service.

According to organizers: "First Downs for Trees complements the team's recycling and landfill diversion programs at Lambeau Field by targeting the carbon emitted by the Packers' air charters to road games, which is approximately 450 tons in a year."

Since its inception in 2011, more than 7,500 trees have been planted through this initiative. The total estimated lifetime benefits from these plantings are valued at around $35 million due to reduced stormwater runoff and CO2 emissions as well as energy savings and improvements in air quality and property values. Organizers state that these benefits represent a return on investment of about 300 percent over time.

"Tree benefits increase over time," according to program information. "Highlighting the importance of not only planting trees but of providing ongoing maintenance and protection."