Plant a Tree!

By Jos Van Hage

I like to say “the best time to plant a tree was yesterday, the next best time is today”.  

Planting trees in a landscape has many positive benefits such as helping out the environment, beautifying an area, providing shade and shelter, adding privacy, and increasing the property value. Trees can be planted at any time of the spring/summer/fall, just as long as you can get the shovel in the ground either after the winter frost has come out of the soil or the frost has not yet gone into the soil.

Trees are a beautiful part of any landscape as they add a calm and peaceful presence. As they grow older and larger they become a living part of the community and many people become attached to them. They can also become symbolic or historic as they may be planted to mark a special occasion such as an anniversary, graduation, or the birth of a child.

 When you plant a tree you are also helping out the environment because trees improve the air quality, moderate the climate and are the home for wildlife and birds. In the summer deciduous trees provide shade from the sun as the leaves deflect the sun and in winter the bare branches allow the sun to filter through. They can also offer some protection from frost as the soil under the tree releases less radiant energy thus keeping the soil warmer throughout the night. Trees also keep the air cooler as water is evaporated from the leaves by using the heat from the air. Trees also provide a windbreak from strong winds and protect the home and buildings from sleet and hail as it deflects it. The roots of large trees can also help prevent soil erosion as it holds onto the soil, and flooding as the roots will take up some of the water and later release it. The leaves of trees also filter the air and removes dust and particles that are later washed off the leaves by the next rain storm. The leaves also absorb carbon dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide thus cleaning up the air we breathe.

By keeping homes cooler in the summer and warmer in winter by protecting them from harsh cold winds, the homeowner saves money. Also, trees increase the property value of a home because of the added aesthetics. A landscaped home has a higher resale value than that of a home that is not landscaped and also the larger the tree the more valuable it becomes.

• Highway 97 North at Northwood Pulpmill Road
• Highway 16 West at Kimball road

Email | Print | Facebook | Twitter | Digg | Del.icio.us