MANTS to feature veteran-focused exhibitor

BALTIMORE, Md. – The Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show (MANTS), the premier green industry marketplace for businesses, is excited to welcome The Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership, Living Legacy Tree Planting Project to the show floor this year as a new exhibitor. The JTHG Partnership is a little unconventional in terms of the standard vendors that MANTS usually attracts; the nonprofit organization is interested in educating and engaging attendees from the horticultural industry about their efforts to plant trees in honor of fallen soldiers from the American Civil War.

The Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership, Living Legacy Tree Planting Project is a bold initiative that commemorates the 150th Anniversary of the American Civil War. Through this program, one tree will be planted for each of the 620,000 soldiers who died during one of the most defining moments in American history. Upon completion, the Living Legacy Project will create the first 180-mile landscaped allée in the world and the only allée dedicated to memorializing the American Civil War. Phase one kicked off in November 2012, with trees being planted at Oatlands Historic House and Gardens, located near Leesburg, VA.

“The Living Legacy Tree Planting Project is coming to MANTS because MANTS is the Oscars, it’s the Pulitzer Prize, it is the place to be,” said Cate Magennis Wyatt, founder and president, The Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership. “Everyone in the horticultural industry knows MANTS is a critically important show to be present in if you have a product that should be shown, and we feel strongly that this product should be known by all of the show’s attendees.”

“We work closely with many exhibitors and attendees of MANTS who have been critically important partners in bringing this project to fruition. Our hope is that through MANTS, we can not only educate those in the horticultural industry but also engage nurseries and green industry companies across the country who might want to be a part of creating this national treasure.”

The JTHG Partnership is taking special care to ensure that the native selection of trees is appropriate to the diverse landscapes along the historic corridor in which they are working, and remain sensitive to the local ecology, scenic views, and development patterns.

The organization is currently seeking donors to help fund the $65 million initiative. Donors may select a soldier to honor, as the trees will be geo-tagged to allow Smart Phone users to learn the story of the soldier, providing a strong educational component to engage interest in the region’s historical heritage and literally bringing the tree to life.

“We are extremely excited that the Living Legacy Tree Planting Project has decided to display on the MANTS show floor in 2015,” said MANTS Executive Vice President, Vanessa Finney. “We are always eager to find new and exciting products and services to present to our attendees and I think guests of this year’s show will be deeply moved by the organization’s mission. We are thrilled some of our colleagues are already involved with the project which honors the fallen with such a beautiful national memorial that aligns with our industry’s interests. We think the Journey Through Hallowed Ground will be a great addition to the show this year.”

In addition to the JTHG Partnership, MANTS welcomes 84 new exhibitors to the show floor this year. The new exhibitors not only differ in the geographical locations in which they come from, but also the products and services they will be showcasing. MANTS attendees can expect to see a variety of specialties including seeders and greenhouses, and new companies showcasing things like turf products, stone veneers and pottery.