Arbor Day Message Board

[Jules]

I love trees and I’ve shared that love with my children. We have planted trees in honor of them and others, and I’ve taught them everything I know by taking them on tree hikes, discovering special trees in our neighborhood, rescuing trees that were being girdled by choking stakes.

I have always been bothered by the fact that the playground at my local elementary school has several young-ish trees, all of which are weak-wooded varieties -- not the best choice for a playground where children will inevitably climb the limbs. The biggest ones are Bradford pears and purple leaf plums. They are big enough to climb now. Everytime I see a kid up in one of those trees, I clutch my heart, knowing that someday one of those limbs is going to break right off. It would be a miracle if nobody ever got hurt. I’m always telling the kids in the playground to stay off the trees, but I was alone in this endeavor since the school administration didn’t seem to think it important enough to make tree-climbing against school rules. How frustrating.

My 10-year-old son, bless his little heart, was given an assignment to write a bill to introduce legislation within his school as a lesson on legislative procedure.

With no help from me, HE WROTE A BILL, CALLED THE “WEAK-WOODED TREE BILL,” that would discourage children from climbing the weak-wooded trees in the playground, and would provide money, through special fund-raising efforts, for the planting of new, strong-wooded, trees there.

The school principal liked his idea so much, it became law! The weak-wooded trees are OFF-LIMITS to climbers now and a new baby oak tree was planted with more planned for the future!

I am one proud tree-loving mama right now!
Cheers for Bradley!
--Jules

[Quirky Quercus]

Woah! That is definitely cool. Ususlly people have to get hurt before action is taken. I wonder what the next assignment is goint to be. Please tell me it is run for president.