Trees as tribute.DEBORAH GANGLOFF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR In the wake of September 11, a decades-old tradition may offer solace, hope for the future. A monument of trees in a well-ordered grove is human and humane. It speaks the language of freemen. It is full of solace and hope to the bereaved be·reaved adj. Suffering the loss of a loved one: the bereaved family. n. One or those bereaved: The bereaved has entered the church. . As a living and a breathing thing, it speaks of victory over death. It is expressive of thanks and devotion by the people to its heroes dead and living."--Richard Leiber, Secretary of the Indiana Board of Forestry. That quote could have been written this fall but in fact is more than 80 years old. Leiber's words come from post-World War I America, when a changed nation looked toward the future and a time of peace. Like then, our world today looks very different in the wake of September 11. Although the prevailing talk has been of our shattered shat·ter v. shat·tered, shat·ter·ing, shat·ters v.tr. 1. To cause to break or burst suddenly into pieces, as with a violent blow. 2. a. sense of security, there is a more palpable Easily perceptible, plain, obvious, readily visible, noticeable, patent, distinct, manifest. The term palpable usually refers to some type of egregious wrong, such as a governmental error or abuse of power. change in our sense of ourselves as individuals and Americans. People seem to go out of their way to help each other, and I think we all have a better understanding of our place as members of the global community. American flags, once reserved for certain holidays, now fly daily, symbols of our renewed sense of patriotism. Americans have rallied to make donations, give blood, and help in any way they can. Here at AMERICAN FORESTS American Forests is a nonprofit conservation organization that promotes healthy forests and urban tree planting. The organization was established in 1875 as the American Forestry Association, by physician/horticulturist John Aston Warder and a group of like-minded citizens , the best way we can help is by doing what we do best: plant trees. As Leiber's quote shows, trees are living legacies. Today they will be lasting tributes to the heroes of Sept. 11. On Sept. 20 I e-mailed the network of tree-planting agencies and organizations with whom we regularly work to gauge interest in a tree planting for the men and women who gave or risked their lives that day. The response was a resounding re·sound v. re·sound·ed, re·sound·ing, re·sounds v.intr. 1. To be filled with sound; reverberate: The schoolyard resounded with the laughter of children. 2. yes. AMERICAN FORESTS' members have also responded, sending their support to plant trees in communities nationwide to honor Sept. 11's heroes--those who were friends and family and those who were not. Some of us have special people we want to honor. The urban forest network lost a rising star, Chris Snyder Christopher Ryan Snyder (born February 12, 1981 in Houston, Texas) is a catcher in Major League Baseball who plays for the Arizona Diamondbacks (2004-present). He bats and throws right handed. See also
New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of after our conference and was flying home on United Airlines Flight 93 out of Newark when the plane was hijacked and crashed in rural Pennsylvania. Chris was a certified arborist The Certified Arborist credential identifies professional arborists who have a minimum of three years' full-time experience working in the professional tree care industry and who have passed an extensive examination covering all facets of arboriculture. for The Outdoor Circle in Hawaii, and her friends are making plans to honor her life and memory. The Christine Snyder Tree Education Fund will teach future generations the importance of trees. AMERICAN FORESTS has planted 100 trees in Chris's memory and will support the planting of a grove of memorial trees in her beloved Hawaii. Trees in public places can be essential parts of the tributes we make. The knoll near the Pentagon and the parks in lower Manhattan Lower Manhattan is the southernmost part of the island of Manhattan, the main island and center of business and government of the City of New York. Lower Manhattan is generally defined as the area delineated on the north by Chambers Street, on the west by the Hudson River (North have filled with flowers and tokens of remembrance. Memorial tree groves can focus our commemorative com·mem·o·ra·tive adj. Honoring or preserving the memory of another. n. Something that honors or preserves the memory of another. com·mem actions and serve as lasting legacies. They are also symbols of our commitment to the future. And the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. needs a greener future. At our conference, we estimated the National Urban Tree Deficit to be 634,407,719 trees. Replacing these missing community trees would provide billions of dollars in environmental benefits and improve the quality of our lives. Thousands of restoration projects in rural areas need millions of trees to provide clean air, pure water, and improved wildlife habitat. What better way to honor the heroes of Sept. 11 than by establishing lasting places of honor while improving our environment for future generations? If you or your community would like to plant trees for our heroes dead and living, please let us know. Perhaps the best tribute AMERICAN FORESTS can make is to help people plant trees to remember and to look ahead to a better, greener tomorrow. |
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