Everyday is Earth Day in my community.
The Town of Vienna has a unique program encouraging people to make donations to support the replacement of street trees around town.
About ten years ago, I was talking with the director of the parks and recreation department about street trees that had been removed along Route 123 near Tysons Corner. Those trees were all the same species and had become diseased.
And she concluded with, “they were dying quickly.”
What shocked residents driving home was that they had removed fifteen trees in one day along one side of the busy road.
The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best… today.
Our conversation led to the fact that the Town had planted 90 trees, but had cut down 110 that had died, been damaged by cars, or had become dangerous. The annual tree budget was depleted, leaving a tree deficit.
We spoke and then I pitched the idea and the result was the Tree Vienna Program so residents could make donations.
In 2019, the Vienna Parks and Recreation Department has further enhanced their tree donation program. These trees are planted in public parks to replace older trees, like in Glyndon Park along Beulah Road.
I have donated to Vienna’s tree replacement fund over the years to help plant new, larger caliper trees. That way we can enjoy the tree canopy while we still live here.
If you are interested in donating a tree for any reason, here is the Town of Vienna Tree Donation Form.
Make Earth Day your everyday.
