Long lived trees save us

from flooding and pollution.

Heroes of the Earth.

by Mary Reid Barrow

 I don’t pretend to be a poet but I was inspired by the folks in the City’s Parks and Recreation Department.to write a haiku about trees and what they do for us

LRNow is joining with parks and rec to celebrate trees at TreeTopia from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Mount Trashmore this Saturday (Nov. 6).

And the haiku contest is part of the fun.  Winners will receive a full size tree!  You can find the winning haikus on the Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation Facebook Events page.

But non-poets needn’t worry. One thousand tree saplings will be given away at TreeTopia, first come first served. And that’s just the beginning.

There will be lots of information about the importance of  planting native trees and how to plant and prune them, fun craft activities for children, like making pinecone turkeys and tree rubbings,  and  music, food trucks and more.

Fall is  the best time  to plant trees in Hampton Roads. The folks at parks and rec want us  to plant trees to help City Council reach its goal of 45 percent tree canopy in the city.  We are at 39 percent now

Sea level rise and flooding in Virginia Beach has raised the awareness  and need for trees to a new level  We used to love trees for their beauty  and cooling ability.  Now we are learning to love them for their ability to protect us in this time of climate change.

Just think:

Trees can slow flooding and combat sea level rise because a mature tree can absorb several hundred gallons  of water a day!

Trees also can fight climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide from the air and returning oxygen back to the air.  Some trees can produce enough  oxygen that two of them can support four people for a year!

Two years ago, LRNow jumped full force into tree advocacy  with a new Plant for the Future  slogan and logo.  We created bookmarks with tree information on them and you can get free bookmarks at TreeTopia.

LRNow’s  first major project  was to  establish the Kenneth Greif Tree Fund and to plant 600 trees in flood-prone Ocean Lakes with help from the fund and a grant from the Virginia Department of Forestry. Next weekend LRNow will be back in Ocean Lakes again to plant 200 more trees!

LRNow will be selling tree bracelets along with native wildflower seed bombs at TreeTopia to support the tree fund too.

Joyce Kilmer said he would never see a poem as lovely as a tree, That’s why I was inspired to write my haiku.   These days, we know trees contribute so much more to the planet  than loveliness.

Trees are Earth’s heroes.

 

Do you have a favorite tree or plant with a story to tell?  What relationships have you observed  between plants and critters?  Who eats whom?  Who has babies where?   Send an email to maryreid@lrnow.org