Life in The Maple City: Looking Forward
Now that we know about the scientific data and history surrounding the trees of Goshen, it’s time to look at what we can do to help our urban forest thrive. With the tools of the Guide, we can read about so many different aspects of the urban forest, but we need to also take the time to put that knowledge into practice.
In the Guide, articles from various news outlets are archived. The Good of Goshen and the Goshen News are just two of the sources that information is gathered from. The Guide emphasizes that the data from these news sources is not its own and links directly to their respective websites. These two resources are just some of the many that help make Goshen great, and connecting those articles with one seemless website is exactly what the Guide aims to do.
Through an urban forest lens, the local news sources can make it easy to find what tree initiatives people and businesses have started in the past. Hertzler Systems Inc. planted 600 trees in 2009 that have since grown into a lovely, young forest on their property. Goshen Hospital planted 300 trees in 2006 to recognize cancer survivors as well as promote healthier living in Goshen. In 2017 alone, volunteers from schools, Lippert Components Inc., and others put in over 2200 hours of work into Goshen’s trees. The power we have as a community is frankly amazing, and we should put that power into practice.
There are a wide range of volunteer opportunities available with Goshen Parks Forestry, and if interested, simply contact Aaron Sawatsky-Kingsley at aaronkingsley@goshencity.com. Or, if you are interested in planting some more trees, the city can help split the cost. Goshen will also split the cost of tree maintenance, if the trees are planted in the right away. More details can be found at the Parks Forestry page or by contacting Aaron.
One of the best ways to get involved this week is to attend Arbor Day tomorrow, Friday the 27th! The festivities are always exciting, ranging from elementary choir performances to log pulls to live animals.The full list of events happening can be found at the Arbor Day website.
Get informed and get involved! We owe it to our city to keep our urban forest alive and always growing.
