Virginians can now show their support for community trees by purchasing a new “Virginia Loves Trees” specialty license plate. The Department of Motor Vehicles requires that 450 plates be pre-sold before it puts the new plate into production, so advance orders are highly encouraged. As a revenue-sharing plate, $15 of the $25 plate fee will go to the sponsoring organizations after the first 1,000 plates are sold. Proceeds will benefit Virginia Tech’s urban forestry program and Trees Virginia, the state’s Urban Forestry Council.

“The value of the plate isn’t just supporting community trees monetarily, but also showing others that you care about trees in your community,” said Susan Day, assistant professor of urban forestry. “It raises people’s awareness of a valuable component of their community that many take for granted until it is gone.” For more information or to order a plate, visit www.valovestrees.org.

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