Twins’ Broken Bats Program Means 16,800 New Trees

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Minnesota state parks and trails can expect thousands of new trees next year, thanks to a Minnesota Twins' partnership with the Department of Natural Resources.

Under the "Break a Bat, Plant a Tree" program, every time a Twins pitcher breaks an opponent's bat, the DNR gets 100 trees.

This past season Twins pitchers broke 168 of their opponents' bats - meaning 16,800 seedlings will be planted next spring at locations to be determined by the DNR.

Courtland Nelson, director of the DNR's Parks and Trails Division, says the seedlings will help with reforestation efforts.

It's the program's second year. During the 2010 regular season, Twins pitchers broke 180 bats, which sent 18,000 trees to Minnesota state parks and trails.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)