Dear Editor:
Yesterday was Arbor Day, a day to cheerfully celebrate trees throughout the nation. As a prelude, a variety of new ornamental trees, evergreen and not, are being planted in Union City’s Ellsworth Park. Some have lettuce-like gray lichen, good indicators of air pollution, on their thin trunks. Planted everywhere, and in the Rose family, “Cleveland Select” or “Chanticleer,” a cultivar of the Callery Pear is blooming white along our side walks, especially along New York and Palisade Avenues. Won’t you spend part of your day gazing in wonder at this dazzling sight? The birch, maple, and oak pollen won’t bother you.
To open your eyes, I invite you to visit Arborday.org and view its Tree Guide and ways we benefit from trees. Perhaps you hate trees and this site will give you a change of mind (or heart). For example, a 2.5 inch diameter Callery Pear adds $23.02 in property value, reduces atmospheric carbon by 40 pounds (25 pounds are sequestered), conserves 5 kw/hr of electricity and 2 thermes of natural gas, and has appreciable wildlife value. A small way to address climate change, yes? Arborday.org lists these wildlife advantages: flowers feed bees and other insects, hard fruit feeds birds and wildlife, and birds and other creatures take refuge in its branches. I encourage you and you family to celebrate Arbor Day and to cherish the vanishing honey bee along with our shade trees. P.S. I’ll keep your secret, go ahead and hug a tree today. Wow, you’re groovy!
Your neighborhood naturalist,
Raven “Tony” Squire