PENN TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- It only took seconds to plant some trees at Susquehanna University, and students weren't putting seeds into the ground.
They used branches from other trees to grow new trees and shrubs.
"These are all trees that grow in wet areas, so you can grow a whole new tree from an individual branch cutting," Adrienne Gemberling said.
The students from Susquehanna University are installing a live-stake garden at the school's Center for Environmental Education and Research near Selinsgrove. Students planted around 2,000 branch cuttings, which are known as live stakes.
"We did trim these branches off other living trees, and we are pounding them in the ground. I did hear that within 18 months, they will start growing again," John Miller said.
This is an inexpensive way to quickly plant trees.
"It costs nothing to do this. We're distributing thousands of trees out to partners for free. Forest buffers are a really good way to increase water quality, and this is a priority for the state of Pennsylvania right now," Gemberling said.
This is also a research project for students here at Susquehanna University to see which species do better.
"It makes you feel good. It makes you feel like you're doing something important," Miller said.
When the trees and shrubs grow, students will gather branches to distribute to local stream restoration projects.