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All around town, Tree Month has taken root in celebration of our tall leafy friends. Our city celebrates its 150th anniversary. Trees are wonderful, living and breathing things that contribute to their environment by providing oxygen. No two are alike. Trees are majestic. There are different species that display what seems like an endless variety of shapes, forms, textures, and vibrant colors. They improve air quality, conserve water, preserve soil, and support wildlife. Trees also lower the air temperature and reduce the heat intensity of the greenhouse effect by maintaining low levels of carbon dioxide. They are an important part of our community, why wouldn’t we be thankful for trees?

Tree Month: Planting 391 Public Trees Within a Year

The City Forestry plans to plant a total of 391 public trees this year in Colorado Springs. In irrigated medians, the vast majority of this planting will take place. It includes 302 hardy, trees that can tolerate droughts, such as hackberry, linden, catalpa, oaks, and ponderosa pines.

Visual Aesthetic Beauty

“What it does is it changes the environment,” Dennis Will, City Forester, said. “The wind is slowing down. It creates lush and green habitat creating visual aesthetic beauty.”

Future Shade

73 assorted species will be strategically planting in parks citywide. Moreover, this is an addition to the median planting. The trees offer future shade for streetscapes, picnic tables, playgrounds, and pathways.

Tree Challenge Enlists Help from the Community in Colorado Springs

As part of the COS 150, the city is also asking for help from its residents. In fact, Tree Challenge residents and business owners are encouraged to plant a tree and keep track of its progress. Therefore, citywide, the aim of the project is to plant 18.071 new trees citywide. This is a nod to the city’s founding in 1871. Dennis Will, City Forester, says that the amount of people taking up the challenge has been great to see.

“Moreover, as far as planting trees, we get groups that call to donate and volunteer time. Nurseries are telling us they have sold over 20,000 trees over the last 10 years or so every year. Therefore, the challenge is tracking the trees that are actually being put into the groups. It is not so much about the ones that will be bought and planted.”