Glenville State College students, faculty, and staff will continue to plant trees at Yeager Airport as part of their on-going ‘Adopt-an-Airport’ project. Project organizer and GSC Major Gifts Officer Bob Henry Baber said, “This has said to be the largest ‘green’ adoption of an airport in world history.” Another series of planting activities will begin on Thursday, April 22nd at 10:00 a.m. on the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. (Participants and media should meet at 9:00 a.m. in front of the airport terminal to be escorted to the planting site.)
Baber says, “It is anticipated that West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin and/or First Lady Gayle Manchin will join Glenville State College’s President Dr. Peter Barr, GSC Land Resources Department faculty and students, GSC athletes, and Washington and Lee University (Lexington, VA) student-volunteers in planting trees on that day. Earth Day officials, based in Washington D.C. have designated the adoption as one of their partner projects taking place nationwide.”
GSC faculty, students, staff, and others have planted five-thousand trees at Yeager so far with an additional five-thousand projected to be planted this spring. Baber said, “Overall, the project will result in nearly 30,000 trees planted to reforest the hillside within the view shed of Interstates 64 and 79. The project also entails landscaping the planned handicap-accessible trail that will link Coonskin Park to downtown Charleston.”
Support for GSC ‘s adoption of Yeager Airport, which began in September 2008, has been received from multiple sources including Yeager Airport, The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation, Capitol Conservation District, Kanawha Valley Parks and Recreation, Smith Land Surveying, and Dow Chemical Company.
For more information or to receive a free five-minute DVD outlining the project’s progress, contact Baber at Bob.Baber@glenville.edu or (304) 462-4125 (office) or (304) 904-2440 (cell). You can also mail requests to: Dr. Bob Henry Baber, Glenville State College Foundation, 200 High Street, Glenville, WV 26351.
