Residents in sixteen tornado-affected communities across northern Alabama will receive 30,000 trees from the Alabama Tree Recovery Campaign, a joint recovery initiative launched in June 2011 by the Alabama Forestry Commission and the Arbor Day Foundation.

Representatives of the Alabama Tree Recovery Campaign and members of the Alabama state government announced the distribution Monday morning at a press conference held on 15th Street at the previous site of Mike and Ed’s Barbeque.

This distribution marks only the first phase of the reconstruction campaign. The Alabama Tree Recovery Campaign plans to continue distributing trees into the fall and winter of this year, as well as subsequent years, until the trees of Alabama communities have been fully restored.

The Alabama Forestry Commission is responsible for coordinating the delivery of tree saplings alongside the Arbor Day Foundation and select volunteers at each day of distribution.

Among those present Monday were Neil Letson of the Alabama Forestry Commission, Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox, First Lady of the State of Alabama Dianne Bentley and other legislators whose counties and districts will receive donated trees throughout this month.

“With this tree recovery campaign, we can take a meaningful step forward in rebuilding communities throughout Alabama,” Bentley said.

Maddox estimated that Tuscaloosa alone lost 5,000 trees to the April storms that devastated the city.

Linda Jackson, a speaker and resident of Tuscaloosa, lost three of those trees. She took the opportunity to express her gratitude to all of the groups and individuals who were responsible for helping and continue to help restore the city’s trees.

“Losing my home in the tornado was terrible,” Jackson said. “I’m thankful that I’ve been able to fix my house, but there is no way to ever replace 300-year-old oak trees.”

The recovery campaign has garnered the attention of various individuals, private foundations and corporate sponsors from across not only the United States, but the world as well.

The Cotton On Foundation, an Australia-based self-sustainability foundation, alongside the Alabama Power Company, The Daniel Foundation of Alabama and the Davey Tree Expert Company, were instrumental in the donation of carefully selected species of trees to the recovery campaign.

The four species of trees selected for the recovery campaign are all native to north Alabama and range in growth rate, mature height and optimal conditions for growth.

Letson expressed his sincerest gratitude for the generosity of these organizations and the many others who were responsible for raising the funds necessary to initiate this program.

The Alabama Forestry Commission is still urging citizens, foundations, businesses and other organizations to visit the Arbor Day Foundation website to donate to the campaign where every dollar donated will give Alabama another seedling.

“As these trees are planted, it is my prayer that we focus on our foundation and make sure our hearts are prepared for the blessings in store,” Bentley said. “I pray that the people of Alabama will find new strength and revived hope. Storms of life do come, but if our foundation is strong, we can withstand it.”

[HOW TO DONATE]

What: Alabama Tree Recovery Program

Where: arborday.org