What Trees Do You Dream Under?

Fort Wayne is a city in love with trees, so we celebrate Arbor Day by giving each resident of the Summit City the chance to plant their own.

As stated in a report from area news service Indiana News- Center, "Becky Beauchot of the Fort Wayne Arborists Association says, "There's a lot of asphalt and concrete, and we just need trees for beautification, to keep our wildlife here, and it also enhances your value of your property."

The local Arbor Day celebration started nearly 30-years ago, and many "full-grown" trees in Allen County are from the program.

It is a tradition and a wonderful one, but there is much more to trees in Fort Wayne.

For the past eight years, Friends of the Parks in Fort Wayne has organized the Great Tree Canopy Comeback. This community tree planting event brings area residents together to plant trees at designated area parks, and always has a wonderful picnic right after the planting.

Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Department is a treasure for the City of Fort Wayne because they cherish the trees of Fort Wayne and work hard throughout the year to insure that this wondrous plants are thriving.

Trees produce life-giving oxygen and remove air pollution as they lower air temperature, release moisture into the air, and retain particulates.

Trees prevent erosion by holding soil in place and slowing runoff from storms, allowing rainfall to percolate into the soil.

Along streams trees help reduce floods and erosion by slowing water and trapping sediments.

Trees provide shelter and food to a variety of birds and other wildlife.

Most of us know all of this. But, more than all of that is the shelter that trees provide when you get caught in a rain storm. Or the solace trees can bring just sitting under one and dreaming of a future world- that has all of your dreams in it.

I remember as a little girl, sitting under a grand old tree in the neighborhood I was brought up in, flying a kite and daydreaming of a world without end. That old tree provided a firm backing for those dreams and a good place to ponder future plans. It is still there, and hopefully is still sheltering little girls and boys on warm summer days.
Maybe a little kid is hugging one right now!

Trees are here for so many reasons. Dreaming is simply the best one.