Planting and honoring

Volunteers will converge on hallowed ground Friday to remember and to honor some national heroes, and to restore the site that hosts the Flight 93 National Memorial in Somerset County.

New tree seedlings will be planted at the memorial site property as part of a continuing reforestation project that will culminate in 150,000 native trees taking root at a memorial to the flight passengers who undid plans by 9/11 terrorists to assault our nation’s capital. It is an effort led by the Friends of the Flight 93 National Memorial, the National Park Foundation and the National Park Service.

Every year during National Park Week, America’s national parks host public events and coordinate volunteer opportunities to mark the occasion. This year, Flight 93 National Memorial will mark the tradition of

National Park Week with “Plant a Tree at Flight 93.”

Reforestation is part of the memorial’s original design and is aimed at reclaiming the former surface mine with native trees. Since 2012, more than 3,000 volunteers have planted some 130,000 native tree seedlings across 167 acres at the Flight 93 National Memorial. This year, nearly 200 volunteers will help plant approximately 7,000 seedlings over 10 acres. The planting event has been modified for the health and safety of the volunteers and is limited to preregistered groups and forestry professionals.

The effort is laudable. The impact will be beautiful. The cause — remembering those who sacrificed their lives in a heroic undermining of terrorism — is of the highest calling.