The Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois was named Outstanding Youth Program, showing leadership and service, by the Iowa Urban Tree Council, during the 32nd Annual Urban Forestry Awards Ceremony on April 12 at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny, Iowa. 

According to a news release, Girl Scouts, in partnership with the Elliott Wildlife Values Project, American Forests, and Johnson & Johnson Foundation, are launching a bold tree planting and conservation initiative. Girl Scouts across the country are setting out to plant 5 million trees in five years and to protect and honor new and existing trees.

Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois, families, staff, and campers are participating in this national Tree Promise initiative. Girl Scouts learned to identify different species of trees and which trees are native to Iowa and Illinois. After learning about trees, they had the opportunity to plant new trees at Camp Liberty to help replace the hundreds of trees lost to the Derecho. In 2021, local Girl Scouts planted and recorded 893 trees. In 2022, local Girl Scouts planted and recorded 932 trees.

“Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois and the Girl Scout Tree Promise is an outstanding example of Iowa’s urban forestry youth programs, by enhancing our forest resources,” said Emma Hanigan, Urban Forestry coordinator with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. “The work of this program benefits our future leaders.”