Thursday, March 9, 2006
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| Garden Club
celebrates Arbor Day at Montrose By SUE
WATSON The Holly Springs Garden Club enjoyed a warm and sunny Arbor Day program with the planting of trees and a forestry field day program for youth last week. It was the 13th year Rev. Milton Winter, pastor of First Presbyterian Church, has given the prayer at the Arbor Day program. Winter gave thanks for the sense of stability that trees bring to life and for how trees “remind us there are things worthy of our prayer...things that last longer than we do.” Garden Club President Margaret Brown welcomed guests, including Marshall Academy student Katherine Farese, who sang the National Anthem. Paul Calame, president of the Marshall County Forestry Association, offered personal remarks. “My personal roots go back with the Garden Club for a long, long time in Holly Springs,” Calame said. He recalled attending Garden Club programs at Montrose with his grandmother, “Miss Janie.” “Education is a big part of what the Forestry Commission does and we are glad to see the children here,” he said. Tim Needham, Tippah County Extension Service director, provided educational facts for young and old. Trees convert six tons of carbon dioxide to every four tons of oxygen produced. “It’s not just for beauty and esthetics or shade, but for us personally,” Needham said. Dickie Rhea, MSU Extension Service horticulturist, like Calame, recounted how responsibilities are handed down from generation to generation. “We’re joining hands; our generation is passing the torch to the other generation over here,” he said, pointing to the children. “This is a chance to see how our heritage has passed and now, we’re entrusting it to you.” Jeff Ware, Mississippi Forestry Commission outreach forester, provided more facts about trees. Trees are used to create a buffer zone between one development and the next; as greenspace; to provide a sense of place; and in the manufacturing of wood products. “All of us should do our part in planning for tomorrow,” Ware said. “Could you imagine driving into your town with no trees at all? A lot of places on the coast are like that (due to hurricane damage).” Forestry adds $14.8 billion a year to the economy in Mississippi, he said, and provides jobs for about 150,000 people. Other benefits of trees are to provide recreational space in parks, a place to heal and to find peace, a space to relax. Trees are vital to animal life because they act as a filter to clean pollutants from the air. “Trees give us hope,” Ware said. Trees were planted with the assistance of sixth grade students from Lauren Massey’s and Becky Hollingworth’s classes at Marshall Academy. A southern sugar maple was planted in memory of Margaret Rather Sullivant, and given by Ben Martin, Henry Sullivant and Margaret Sullivant Brown. A cherry bark oak, was installed in memory of Caliborne Rowan Thompson. A chestnut oak was planted in memory of Dorothy Powers Rather. A replacement ginkgo tree was provided by Tim Needham. Report News:
(662) 252-4261 or south@dixie-net.com
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