James Briand
Trees for Watertown
The founder of Arbor Day, Nebraska corporate lawyer J. Sterling Morton, a transplant from Michigan, had his inspiration when he felt oppressed by the treelessness of his adopted state and yearned for the stately tree-covered streets of home. Using the high-flown rhetoric of the late 19th century, he celebrated the holiday’s founding in 1872 saying, “I value trees as missionaries of culture and refinement . living and unswerving symbols of integrity and genuine democracy.”
Morton saw democratic values in the way trees on city streets deliver beauty and comfort to all citizens regardless of wealth or social position. He also believed that Arbor Day embodied the fundamental optimism of the American experiment, observing, “All other anniversaries look backwards. Arbor Day looks forward.”
GUEST COMMENTARY: Tree Symposium addresses global issues, local concerns wickedlocal.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from wickedlocal.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Watertown Symposium on Trees & Climate Change set for March 20
James T. Briand
From 10 a.m. to noon March 20, Watertown residents are invited to find out how they can have a personal impact on climate change by planting and protecting trees.
The Watertown Environment and Energy Efficiency Committee and Trees for Watertown will co-sponsor the 2021 Watertown Symposium on Trees & Climate Change. This event is free and available to all on Zoom and YouTube.
The daily news can make climate change seem overwhelming, with unprecedented heat waves and intensifying storm patterns. It isn’t always apparent what one person can do against global forces. And yet, it is possible for one person to have a major impact in their neighborhood by planting and caring for trees in their own front yard, backyard or adjacent street space.