It takes a nursery

… to shade a community. And the Alliance for Community Trees (ACT) is working steadfastly to plant millions of trees (yes, I said millions) where 83 percent of Americans live – in cities, towns and metropolitan areas.
   
To date, local ACT member organizations have planted 14.9 million trees in cities, with help from 4.3 million volunteers nationwide. Almost 15 million trees. I’m flabbergasted.
   
Let’s sort this out. There’s a national effort to get trees planted in urban areas. Growers have a chance to get involved in their communities and help perpetuate the tree market. The program has backing from the U.S. Forest Service, Home Depot and the National Tree Trust. Bold Spring Nursery in Hawkinsville, Ga., is a business associate member.
   
ACT champions the benefits of trees, including: As few as three trees can reduce residential utility costs by as much as 50 percent; and residential property values are 5-12 percent higher when landscaping includes trees.
   
If your community is not a part of this movement, get your butt in gear and find a way to bring it to your area.
   
This year ACT awarded $100,000 in grants to several cities including Albuquerque and Las Cruces, N.M.; Dallas; Detroit; Eugene, Ore.; and Indianapolis.
   
The Big Apple is on board. MillionTreesNYC ia a citywide, public-private program with plans to plant and care for 1 million new trees across the city’s five boroughs within the next decade. As a result, New York City’s urban forest — made up of street trees, park trees and trees on public, private and commercial land — will increase by 20 percent.
   
Nurseries can become ACT members, volunteers or sponsors. Either way, you’re improving the community and helping market your product. Check it out at www.actrees.org.