By Karen Karger As members of the Oregon Woodland Cooperative, we all appreciate the woodlands, forests and even individual trees. Now The Oregon Department of Forestry has announced that Gov. Kate Brown has declared April as Arbor Month, extending the time for communities to plant trees and to celebrate and recognize the importance of trees throughout the state. Quoted in a news release from the Oregon Dept. of Forestry, Oregon State Forester Peter Daugherty explains, “There has long been a broad understanding of the economic and environmental benefits of our forestlands, but this proclamation helps highlight the equally vital social benefits that both rural and urban forests provide to the people of Oregon.” Kristin Ramstad, manager of the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Urban and Community Forestry Assistance Program, says Arbor Month is the perfect time to reflect on the contribution trees make – to our physical, mental and emotional health, to the livability of our communities, to our safety, the quality and quantity of our air and water, and to our economy. The month-long celebration comes at a time when many of our members, friends and neighbors are still recovering from the devastating wild fires last year and we recognize the need for vast tree-planting efforts. The proclamation was the result of more than a year of collaboration between the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Urban and Community Forestry Program and Oregon Community Trees, a non-profit organization that promotes healthy urban and community forests. The full text of the proclamation can be read here. Comments are closed.
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