Tu BiShvat — the 15th of Shevat — is the Jewish Arbor Day and this year falls on the 20th of January. When I was young, the large envelope announcing that hundreds of trees had been planted in Israel in your name was the most dreaded Bar or Bat Mitzvah present.
Today, attitudes toward Israel are mottled and complicated, but attitudes toward trees are clear and (mostly) positive. Many municipalities are losing more trees each year than are planted, owing to, among other causes, inadequate budgets for maintenance and replacement. A tree is a marvelous gift — no one ever has too many — either in a private yard or in a public place.
In Amherst, as in many municipalities, the tree warden is delighted to suggest appropriate trees for appropriate places; the Shade Tree Committee is never happier than when digging holes and lowering young trees into them. You can also make a donation to the Shade Tree Committee Gift Fund in someone’s name, and we shall notify that person of your gift.
While we can’t plant trees in January, it’s a great time to enjoy and honor them. Stop during the day to appreciate the intricate, filigreed beauty of their leafless skeletons or at sunset when they are silhouettes against pink and gold.
Nonny Sagalyn Burack
Amherst