By Staff
NILES – Though Friday, April 27, is the date the State of Michigan had designated as the official observance of Arbor Day, the Niles Garden Club has delayed its tree-planting a few weeks.
Arbor Day originated by J. Sterling Morton in 1872 for the purpose of planting trees and understanding the value of trees.
In keeping with Morton's vision, the Niles Garden Club, in conjunction with the Niles Community Library is in the process of establishing a Youth Garden Club.
The first major activity of this new club will be to learn about Mr. Morton, to become educated about the necessity of trees and the proper way of planting and caring for them, and to honor Arbor Day in Niles by planting a tree on the library grounds.
Due to scheduling and organizational factors, this ceremony will take place on Saturday, May 12, at 1 p.m. All youth interested in being a part of this club should leave their names at the library circulation desk.
We can all do our part to see that trees continue to be valued in our society. Keep in mind the contributions of trees:
protect fields from rapid runoff
provide nesting sites for songbirds
give shade for our houses and ourselves
help conserve energy
act as air cleaners, absorb carbon dioxide, give off oxygen
provide shelter and increase property value
allow us to grow our own fruit
area source of paper, wood, and fuel
reduce stress
add beauty to our surroundings