BALTIMORE, MD—The Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Forest Conservancy District Boards are inviting all Maryland fifth graders in private and public schools to participate in the annual Arbor Day Poster Contest.

The theme for 2024 is: “Trees Are Terrific…in All Shapes and Sizes!” to celebrate the importance of diversity of tree species within a community.

All entries must be delivered to a local Maryland Forest Service office by noon on March 1, 2024.

Students are encouraged to share their appreciation for Maryland’s forests and trees through original works of art. Poster size must be no smaller than 8.5 by 11 inches and no larger than 22 by 28 inches. They must be drawn in acrylic, crayon, ink, marker, paint pens, regular or colored pencil, tempera paint, or watercolor.

Posters will be judged on a county level and then submitted to the Maryland Urban and Community Forest Committee to compete at the statewide level. A select panel will then choose the top three winning posters that will receive tree plantings at the artists’ schools ─ first place will win 15 trees, second place will receive 10, and third place will receive five. Teachers will be notified by late March, and school plantings will be scheduled in spring.

Contest comments or questions may be directed to Melissa Nash of the Maryland Forest Service at 301-334-3296 or [email protected].

Photo: Addilyn Centineo, of Eldersburg, Carroll County won first place in the 2023 Arbor Day Poster Contest, with a prize of 15 trees to her school for planting.