Trees

National Arbor Day is Friday, April 26, and the Arbor Day Foundation is making it easy for anyone to celebrate the annual tree-planting holiday. Join the Foundation in April and receive 10 shade trees. By joining the foundation in April, new members receive the following trees: red oak, sugar maple, weeping willow, baldcypress, thornless honeylocust, pin oak, river birch, tuliptree, silver maple and red maple. The trees are part of the foundation's Trees for America campaign. "These trees provide shade in the summer and gorgeous colors throughout the fall," said John Rosenow, founder and chief executive of the foundation.

On their final day of spring break, students from Hancock Middle-Senior High School braved the cold Tuesday to join Good Shepherd Preschool students in planting a tree and a blue pinwheel garden at Widmeyer Park, releasing blue balloons into the air and distributing blue ribbons around town in memory of child-abuse victims. Hancock senior Tanner Faith, who lost a 5-week-old cousin, Bella Appel, to child abuse in 2010, said the issue of child abuse “strikes home” for him. “There is child abuse out there, and people need to realize how severe it is and what effects it has on families,” said Tanner, 17. “I was going to make sure I was here.” Tanner's brother, Skylar, 16, a sophomore at Hancock, said the tree that was planted signifies the “suffering” of families of child-abuse victims.

The Arbor Day Foundation is making it easier for everyone to celebrate the arrival of spring through planting trees. Join the Arbor Day Foundation in March and receive 10 free white flowering dogwood trees. The free trees are part of the nonprofit foundation's Trees for America campaign. The trees will be shipped postpaid at the right time for planting between March 1 and May 31, with enclosed planting instructions. The 6- to 12-inch trees are guaranteed to grow or they will be replaced free of charge.

The Washington County Soil Conservation District is conducting its 25th annual tree sale from now until March 20. The district has distributed more than 313,000 trees over the past 24 years.  Trees will be available for pickup during early April in time for spring planting season.   Anyone ordering trees will be contacted by mail with the specific days, times and location of where to pick up the trees. The tree seedling  will be available for pick-up in April. The district will offer a variety of evergreens, hardwoods, fruit trees, nestboxes and bat houses.

Joining the Arbor Day Foundation is an ideal way to get in the mood for spring planting. Anyone in Maryland who joins the foundation in February will receive 10 free Colorado blue spruce trees to plant when the weather turns warm.  The free trees are part of the nonprofit foundation's Trees for America campaign. The Tree City USA program has supported community forestry throughout the country for more than 35 years. The trees will be shipped postpaid at the right time for planting, between March 1 and May 31, with enclosed planting instructions.

The City of Hagerstown will be offering the collection of Christmas trees for residents starting Wednesday, according to a city news release. The city's Department of Public Works will only collect Christmas trees only, and all ornaments, tinsel, lights or other decorations must be removed. No other debris placed by the curb will be collected at that time. Residents may place their tree at the curb in front of their residence as early as 4 p.m. before and no later than 7 a.m. on their scheduled collection date (see below)

The city of Hagerstown will offer the collection of Christmas trees for residents starting Jan. 2, according to a city news release. The city's Department of Public Works will collect Christmas trees only. All ornaments, tinsel, lights or other decorations must be removed. No other debris placed by the curb will be collected at that time. Residents may place their tree at the curb in front of their residence as early as 4 p.m. before and no later than 7 a.m. on their scheduled collection date.

During a holiday season marred by tragedy, violence and economic turmoil, Aspen Tree Co. proves there's still goodness and humanity left in this world. Just two weeks shy of Christmas, the local tree services company provided tree removal services free of charge to a couple whose medical expenses left their wallets tight this holiday. After seeing a coupon ad in the local Valpak, Anthony Sos of Frederick, Md., contacted Aspen Tree Co. for an estimate on removing a honey locust tree too close to his home.

Chances are that those presents under your Christmas tree traveled a long way to get there. And chances are, whether they came from a local retailer or were bought online, they passed through a “hub” and a distribution center at a shipping company such as FedEx or UPS or a sorting center at a local post office. The warehouses where these shippers operate tend to be busy places this time of the year with thousands of packages swiftly passing through the buildings en route to their destinations.