Flight 93 National Memorial tree planting postponed until 2021

The annual Plant a Tree at Flight 93 event has been postponed until next year.

Held at the Flight 93 National Memorial each spring, it typically fills its volunteer slots early. Many organizations and individuals return year after year. The 2019 event drew about 400 people planning to plant more than 13,600 trees.

Registration was to begin on March 27 for this year’s event, sponsored by the Friends of Flight 93 National Memorial.

This week National Park Service leadership announce the event will move to April 2021 in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

“The health and safety of visitors, employees and volunteers has always been a top priority, and this measure is for their protection,” Stephen M. Clark, Flight 93 National Memorial superintendent, says in a release.

United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in a nearby field on 9/11 as some of the 40 passengers and crew struggled with terrorists believed to have been planning to use the aircraft in an attack on the nation’s capital. Everyone aboard died.

The Friends’ goal is to plant 150,000 seedlings over 10 years, helping to restore natural habitats, increase floral resources and create nesting sites. The trees also will cultivate a living memorial at the site, planners say. The project is expected to conclude within the next two or three years.