Long after the football fans are gone, this weekend's NFL Draft event will leave a permanent green footprint behind in Arlington.
Local school children, volunteers from Verizon and Arlington Parks and Recreation employees joined together Monday to plant 35 trees at Brantley Hinshaw Park. The event, part of a project coordinated with the Texas Trees Foundation, was one of three tree plantings in North Texas this week that were funded from the NFL and NFL sponsor Verizon.
"There is no better legacy we can think of to leave than to leave a park greener or to create community gardens or do something that provides a benefit for years and years and years after our event is over and we leave town," said Jack Groh, NFL Environmental Program director.
Verizon volunteer Rich Elder cheerfully helped a group of children from Atherton Elementary School plant trees along the park's path.
"It's important to give back to the community, it's important to do something sustainable and we're having a lot of fun doing it," Elder said.
The NFL, continuing a tradition of leaving a positive green legacy in host communities, is incorporating several sustainability elements and activities at the 2018 NFL Draft in Arlington. These include recycling, food recovery and material reuse to lighten the environmental impact of Draft activities.
At the NFL Draft Experience, located at AT&T Stadium, waste will be diverted through recycling and composting. Volunteers from nearby University of Texas at Arlington will help fans put food waste, cans and bottles in the correct containers to keep items out of local landfills. Extra prepared food from NFL events will be collected in partnership with the Tarrant Area Food Bank and the Salvation Army. This food will then be distributed to residents in need.
Event materials including fabric, vinyl, mesh, building materials, supplies and carpeting will be collected and distributed for reuse in partnership with a local network of municipal and nonprofit agencies. Some items will be reused as is while other material will be either auctioned to raise funds or repurposed into items for sale or donation.
The American Dream City was not the only community to benefit from NFL Draft tree plantings. On Tuesday, trees were also planted on the campus of Paul Quinn College in Dallas as part of the college's urban farm.
Another forestry project took place in and around Bastrop State Forest. Nearly the entire park was destroyed in a 2011 wildfire. The NFL, Verizon and the Arbor Day Foundation will plant 1,536 trees during Draft week. The restoration project will result in six new trees for each of the 256 players who will be welcomed into the NFL during the 2018 NFL Draft.
Related articles
Cowboys, Brantley Hinshaw Park, NFL Draft
Headlines, News, Parks & Recreation, Sports