S.C. to set record with 3.2M trees planted; Sumter, Lee, Clarendon counties participating in POWERPLANTSC project

COLUMBIA — Global expedition leader and S.C. Floodwater Commission Chairman Tom Mullikin is on track to setting yet another record: This one — a project dubbed POWERPLANTSC — will be the planting of 3.2 million pine trees across South Carolina on Earth Day on April 22.
The loblolly pine tree seeds, each in packs of 60 seeds and donated by the S.C. Forestry Commission, have been stored by the S.C. Department of Corrections and are set to be distributed to staging areas over the next few weeks.
“This will be the largest single-day tree planting event in American history,” said Mullikin, who conceived of and is now directing POWERPLANTSC. “This event — a project of the S.C. Floodwater Commission — involves a broad coalition of public, private and nonprofit environmental partners, which will not only raise awareness of the importance of trees to human and environmental health, but will aid in the mitigation of disastrous flooding that has plagued the Palmetto State since at least 2015 even before.”
Interest in POWERPLANTSC is growing in Sumter, Lee and Clarendon counties with Boy Scouts from the Pee Dee Area Council participating as well as 4-H clubs and Future Farmers of America chapters. Among the FFA chapters are those from Lakewood High School, Furman Middle School and Wilder Elementary School in Sumter County; Lee County High School in Lee County; and Manning High School and Manning Junior High School in Clarendon County.
In a January POWERPLANTSC meeting facilitated by Mullikin and attended by Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, Christi Shain, director of communications for SCDOC, and Laurie Traywick with the S.C. Department of Education, with additional partners joining the gathering remotely via Zoom, Evette said, “We are not only planting and growing trees, but this is about growing our economy and growing our state. And through POWERPLANTSC, we are now educating our children as to how important our environment is.”
Mullikin says he is also encouraged by the planned participation of the area councils of the Boy Scouts of America statewide.
“All of our BSA councils are involved,” he said. “It’s quite literally a mission tailor-made for Scouts.”
Doug Stone, who directs the Columbia-based Indian Waters Council Scouting BSA, agrees.
“POWERPLANTSC is so perfectly aligned with our mission and activities,” Stone said. “This is a great opportunity not only for Scouting families, but for the community as a whole.”
POWERPLANTSC officials also want the Scouts to be recognized for their work in a visible, memorable way. Consequently, Mullikin is overseeing the design of an event-specific patch for Scouts, which Stone says will be authorized for wear on the uniform. Additionally, the POWERPLANTSC tree planting effort will become part of Scouting BSA’s merit badge “advancement program” for older Scouts with separate achievement recognition for the younger Cub Scouts who will also be participating.
The tree planting effort is also hoped to serve as a future natural defense against the ever-increasing threat of disastrous floodwater events.
“Trees, vegetation and soils are components of pervious surface cover that help absorb stormwater and reduce the harmful effects of flooding, erosion and runoff,” said Douglas E. Wood, director of communications with the S.C. Forestry Commission, a partnering agency of POWERPLANTSC. “Expanding tree cover through this project — and especially through successive, ongoing satellite spin-off events and initiatives — will allow for offsetting of stormwater naturally and aid in infiltration.”
Wood said he thinks that over the next 50 to 80 years, the newly planted trees will serve to intercept and mitigate thousands to perhaps millions of gallons of stormwater for the communities in which they are planted.
“As they continue to grow larger over time, their capacity and effectiveness for stormwater uptake and management will only increase,” Wood said.
Mullikin said while it may be difficult if not impossible “to exactly measure in terms of long-term impact, wherein we would also have to factor in future storms and otherwise rising sea levels, there is no question but that trees are one of our greatest natural defenses against disastrous flooding.”
Floodwater defense or not, POWERPLANTSC will likely lead to a new North American record. But it all comes back to protecting, educating and generally bettering the world, according to Mullikin.
In addition to the aforementioned agencies, POWERPLANTSC partners include Duke Energy, Dominion Energy, Clemson University Extension Center, Palmetto Pride, S.C. Association of Counties, Keep America Beautiful, Yamaha Rightwaters and others.