Date: Fri 30-Apr-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Arbor-Day-Forest-Association

Full Text:

Working For The Triumph Of Trees

(with photo)

BY STEVE BIGHAM

Newtown students will plant hundreds of trees this spring thanks to the

donations of a local resident they know simply as the "Tree Lady."

In the past 10 years, youngsters have planted more than 22,000 seedlings which

have all been provided by this donor. She has chosen to remain anonymous,

preferring to emphasize instead her belief in the preservation of nature.

"Young people must be encouraged to love and care for their own environment

before they can understand world problems like rain forests and deserts. They

must learn responsibility for their own immediate environment, to experience

it and to be happy with it," she said.

The Newtown Tree Project celebrates its 11th year on Arbor Day, April 30.

Notwithstanding the intense development pressures on Newtown, with more than

200 homes built in town each year, the Newtown Forest Association (NFA) is

still working to preserve land in perpetuity.

The NFA is made up of men and women who were fortunate enough to appreciate

the wonders of the birds and the bees, but Newtown's "Tree Lady" wonders who

will carry the Earth's torch once they are gone. Members of the NFA, including

the mysterious Tree Lady, are working to ensure that young people get a chance

to experience the great outdoors and all that comes with it.

Newtown's anonymous benefactress has also lent her hand to the forest

association's trees for the millennium project on Main Street. Between now and

the year 2000, the organization plans to bring the maple tree population back

over 100, almost as many as were there back in 1900.

A Day For Trees

Arbor Day was the idea of J. Sterling Morton of Nebraska City, Neb. Mr Morton,

editor of Nebraska's first newspaper, tirelessly advocated planting trees on

the native grasslands of his adopted state.

In 1872, Mr Morton first proposed a tree planting holiday to be called "Arbor

Day" at a meeting of the Nebraska state's Board of Agriculture. Prizes were

offered to counties and individuals for properly planting the largest number

of trees on that day. It was estimated that more than one million trees were

planted in Nebraska on that first Arbor Day.

During the 1870s, other states passed legislation to observe Arbor Day and the

tree-planting tradition began in schools in 1882. By 1894, Arbor Day was

celebrated in every state and has now spread to other countries.

Connecticut always celebrates Arbor Day on April 30. However, each state has

its own date for which it celebrates the holiday.

As Mr Morton pointed out, while other holidays "repose upon the past, Arbor

Day proposes for the future."

"Each generation takes the Earth as trustees. We ought to bequeath to

posterity as many forests and orchards as we have exhausted and consumed," Mr

Morton said.

Newtown's Tree Lady hopes that people will behold this year's Arbor Day in a

different light since it is the last one this century.

"It's an opportunity to draw things together. A new beginning," she said.

"It's an opportunity to look back -- to look what has been left for us."

The Newtown Forest Association will conduct its annual meeting next Tuesday at

7:30 pm at the Cyrenius Booth Library.