Author Ronald Powers

                                                                 Arbor Day

 

 

                The crocuses, hyacinths, daffodils, and tulips are making their presence known.  Spring is finally here and that means a rebirth of a myriad of plants, not just the early flowers.  The grass is turning green and beginning to grow.  Gardens are being plowed and seeds are being planted.  These things may not be noticed by everyone on a consistent basis, but the one thing about spring that everyone notices is the, almost overnight, appearance of leaves on the trees throughout the community.

                Nothing says spring like the first foliage of long-dormant trees.  It could be argued that leaves are as much a harbinger of spring as the first robin.  Regardless which observation you choose as your indicator of spring – it is definitely here, as it has been arriving year after year!

                Just because it does happen consistently, that is no reason to take the whole process for granted.  Just as the arrival of the first robin is important, the putting forth of foliage by trees is also important to the cycle of life.  Without trees, we all would have a much lower quality of life and quality of community.  Thomas Fuller probably said it best, “He who plants trees loves others besides himself.”

                The love of others past, present, and future begs for the planting of trees.  There is no conceivable way for us to calculate the value that trees add to our personal wellbeing or our community’s wellbeing.  We have the option of celebrating that worth every year.

                We can do this because, in 1872, Julius Sterling Morton established the very first Arbor Day in his hometown of Nebraska City, Nebraska.  He elected to celebrate the value of trees by planting more.  On the first Arbor Day, it has been estimated that over one million trees were planted.  Since that special day, Arbor Day has been established as a holiday, not only in the United States, but also in countries all over the world.  Every year, almost one million new trees are planted by citizens and schoolchildren on the last Friday of April. This year that day is the 25th.

                Since that first day, the National Arbor Day Foundation has been formed.  This foundation of over one million members supplies free trees, education, and conservation all over the world.  Every April they encourage people to plant trees, and every April people do just that.

                In the spirit of Arbor Day, you will soon see the planting of new trees by the Greencastle Shade Tree Commission.  We plant as many trees as our budget allows and only within the borough right-of-way.

                We would like to, however, encourage everyone to plant a tree or trees, which will add to your personal wellbeing, your property’s value, and to the wellbeing of our community for the present and future generations.