The importance of trees

My grandfather grew up in the 20s, the youngest of nine children. During the depression, his family, like many others, lost the family farm. I can only barely begin to imagine what life was like then. Certainly they worked hard and made do and grew food. I wonder what splurging was for them? Sugar? A trip to town? If my granddad had an extra dollar, what would he have spent it on?

In his later years I know what he did with his extra money. He Planted trees.

I know this because my Mom--his daughter--is a tree planter. When I go home, she drives me around town showing the trees she's planted in the yards of her friends!! She likes to show me the different leaves, how she's wrapped their trunks against the cold, how much they've grown. It's amusing and sweet (and BOY am I glad her obsession isn't cats.)

There isn't any part of our country you can't grow some kind of tree. Can you think of someplace you couldn't grow a fruit tree, shade tree, evergreen tree, or at least a Saguaro Cactus?

Why plant a tree?
We'll start our list from global to personal:

• Those who believe in global warming believe that the increased concentration of greenhouse gasses is the leading cause of climate change. Deforestation and the warming of the earth are intimately connected, therefore every tree we plant offsets our huge eco-footprint just a little.
• Did you know trees filter pollution from the air? Yup, trees digest the junk and create oxygen, plus, trees clean and recycle ground-water.
• In places where there are not trees and no groundcover, soil erodes. It washes or blows away, and isn't stable enough for little seeds to take root. Take the Dust Bowl: Optimistic settlers over-plowed and over-grazed what they called the Great American Desert thinking they could permanently change the climate. Farmers' fallow fields, plowed clear of their indigenous native grasses were simply carried away by the wind.
• Oh, my favorite reason: Trees create shade. Did you know that a well-placed tree can save you up to 20%  on your cooling bill? Who wants to picnic in the middle of the field if there's a TREE off to the side? Most folks take the tree. Somehow trees mark the spot. They create a feeling of having arrived, a sense of permanence.
• Trees give shelter from wind and rain and provide homes for animals.
• Trees provide fruit and nuts, and are medicinal.
• Trees provide an interesting, soothing, and beautiful environment for your home and your neighborhood. Homes in neighborhoods with big trees always have a higher price tag. This is because of the shade, the ambiance, and the sense of permanence that are provided by a tree.

So whether you're planning to stay in your home for a year or a century, get your neighbors out to plant some trees. Years from now, you'll watch kids ride their bikes up and down your tree-lined street, and you'll be glad you did.