FORT HOOD, Texas — Fort Hood Directorate of Public Works Environmental officials will host their 2019 Fort Hood Earth Day event and tree planting from 9 a.m.-2:15 p.m. April 12 at the pavilion area behind Fort Hood’s Rod & Gun Club.

The purpose of the event is to increase environmental stewardship on the installation by engaging military children and Central Texas families.

The Tree Planting Ceremony and recognition by the Texas Forest Service as a Tree City USA community for the 14th year will begin at noon.

The ceremony will also include a CenTex Sustainable Communities Proclamation signing by Fort Hood Garrison Commander Col. Hank Perry to recognize April as Sustainable Environment Month.

Nearly 890 students in grades 3rd-5th from Killeen Independent School District’s Timber Ridge, East Ward, Skipcha, Peebles, Venable Village, and Haynes elementary schools along with Copperas Cove Independent School District’s Hettie Halstead Elementary School and Temple Independent School District’s Thorton and Western Hills elementary schools will participate in the event.

Each school session will include presentations from organizations like “Keep Texas Beautiful” affiliates, Central Texas Council of Governments, Texas A&M University Central Texas, CenTex Sustainable Communities Partnership, Coca-Cola and DPW Environmental.

Students will see displays and a special animal presentation by Zoomagination.

Media who wish to cover this event must register here. On April 12 at 11:30 a.m., media should meet public affairs at the south-side parking lot of the Fort Hood visitor’s welcome center.