By Staff
CASSOPOLIS – As surely as the sun rises in the east, spring is coming to Michigan, and along with longer days and warmer temperatures, spring also brings Cass County Conservation District's Annual Tree and Shrub Sale.
Available species include Fraser Fir, Douglas Fir, White Pine, Red Pine, Norway Spruce, Colorado Blue Spruce, Tulip Poplar, Red Oak, White Oak, Red Maple, Sugar Maple, Sargent Crabapple (a favorite of wildlife), Elderberry, Lilac, Buttonbush, and American Hazelnut. New this year is the Montmorency Cherry, a very good tart cherry used for home and commercial processing.
These varieties are desirable for wildlife for their ability to provide food and shelter, and their shapes and colors beautify a backyard landscape. Firs, Pines and Spruces are wonderful windbreaks and screens. Poplar, Oaks and Maples are great for shade. For fall color, Maples are hard to beat. Buttonbush and Lilac add color whose blossoms attract butterflies. Elderberry, American Hazelnut, and Sargent Crabapple attract both wildlife and birds.
By planting a combination of these trees and shrubs, a yard can be made into a backyard habitat by providing shelter, food, nesting areas and shade. The final step is to add water, which can range from a dish of water, a birdbath, or a pond. Birds love running water, so add running or splashing water.
Trees and shrubs, when planted in larger quantities, help prevent soil erosion by creating windbreaks and holding the soil intact.
Currently, the District is taking pre-orders. Order forms and the tree description booklet are available at the Conservation District's office, located at 1127 E. State Street, Cassopolis, Michigan, 49031 or by calling the District office at 445-8643. The form can also be downloaded from the District's website at http://casscd.org where tree descriptions are available.
The District will also be holding its regular open stock tree and shrub sale in Cassopolis on Friday, April 18, 2008 from 5 to 7 p.m., and on Saturday, April 19, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Orbit Building, located on the corner of M-60 and Geneva St, Cassopolis, at the east end of the Council on Aging's (COA) walking track.