An ardour for Arbour Day

By Carolyn Sloan

The Spectator

NovaNewsNow.com

They remove pollution from the air, moderate the climate, create shade from the sun, help maintain the water supply, add to property values, contribute to the beauty of the town, and much more.

With such a long list of benefits, it’s not surprising that the Town of Bridgetown has been encouraging tree planting in the community for more than 30 years. Each spring, leading up to Arbour Day on May 8, the town offers its citizens a discounted rate on trees, bushes and plants to encourage this activity throughout the town. As a guide, residents participating in the program can use the town’s survey of possible locations to plant trees. Also, if they choose to plant one on their property line, the municipality will even do the planting on their behalf.

This year, the town office received $2300 worth of orders, with 12 citizens participating in the program. On April 30, the tree committee made a contribution of their own, marking the coming of Arbour Day with the planting of a red maple on the grounds of Bridgetown Regional High School.

Before placing the tree in the soil, Mayor Art Marshall pointed out that the young maple would absorb 47 pounds of carbon dioxide every year for the next 40 to 50 years, and would produce enough oxygen to sustain two of its citizens during their lifetime.

The school’s Climate Change Committee joined the mayor, councillor Richard Campbell, and tree committee chair John Whiteman for the tree planting. The committee has offered to care for the new maple, which borders the property line in front of the high school.