Celebrate this Holiday Season with Trees! WASHINGTON, DC (November 26, 2007); When President Bush lights the National Christmas Tree on December 5, he continues a long-standing tradition that began with a gift from AMERICAN FORESTS in 1924. That gift, accepted by President and Mrs. Coolidge, was a 40-year-old, 35-foot Norway spruce, and it became the first living symbol of Christmas for the entire nation—the National Community Christmas Tree. Today, officials predict 30 million to 35 million families will bring home a cut Christmas tree this year. In addition, Christmas trees also provide benefits from the time they are planted until after the holiday season when they can be recycled. For decades, AMERICAN FORESTS has encouraged the commercial growing of Christmas trees and the planting of living trees. The gift of a living National Christmas Tree was AMERICAN FORESTS’ way of urging the use of living Christmas trees as a conservation measure. Before the Christmas tree industry, people cut trees from the wild, sometimes illegally, and always with little consideration for the continuance of the forest. The Benefits of Christmas Trees Keeping a Live Christmas Tree AMERICAN FORESTS recommends enjoying live Christmas trees because of the many environmental benefits of planting trees. If you have space for a "ball and burlapped" or containerized tree, and can provide the extra care this type of tree requires, it's well worth the additional cost and effort. First, decide where to plant your tree, and prepare the area. Remember, your Christmas tree will be a full-grown tree someday. To care for your living Christmas tree, keep the root ball of your replantable tree moist at all times. After 7-10 days of indoor appreciation, move the tree to a protected place outdoors for several days to help it make the adjustment from a warm house. Your local nursery should be able to answer any questions you have concerning the care of your tree. As soon as you can, plant the tree in the hole you previously prepared (if your area is frost-prone). If you don't have the space, check with a local tree-planting group to see if it has a program to accommodate your tree. Purchasing, Care, and Disposal of a Cut Christmas tree: The Seven Basic Rules
The Christmas Tree Tradition Trees haven't always been a part of the Christmas tradition. Some historians believe the Egyptians and Romans used some form of an evergreen to decorate their homes. It is generally agreed that the first use of a tree as part of the Christian Christmas celebration was started over 400 years ago by the Germans. Eventually, the Christmas tree came to America by Hessian mercenaries, paid to fight for the British during the Revolutionary War. In 1804, soldiers stationed at a fort near Chicago hauled trees to their barracks during Christmas, and in 1842, a German named Charles Minnegerode introduced the custom of decorated Christmas trees in Williamsburg, Virginia. His tree was described as being "splendidly decorated" with strings of popcorn, nuts, and lighted candles. By 1900, one in five American families decorated trees during Christmas and by 1930, the tree had become a nearly universal part of the American Christmas tradition. Give the Gift of Trees Let AMERICAN FORESTS plant some trees in the name of the people on your holiday gift list. We'll send your gift recipient a personalized certificate. Choose to plant trees on the hurricane-damaged areas of the Gulf coast, of wildfire-burned areas of California, or to protect the Mexican habitat of the Monarch butterfly. Visit www.americanforests.org, or call us at 800/545-8733. Lets make this year a green holiday for all! [Back to Top] Anne Frank Chestnut Granted Temporary Pardon Anne Frank could see the tree from an attic window while she and her family hid from the Nazis during World War II. She mentioned it in her famous diary as she marked the passage of time by the tree’s seasonal changes. The tree has since become a symbol of freedom and holds great cultural significance. However, the tree is plagued with fungi and parts of the trunk have rotted away, which causes a safety concern. To ally these concerns, four companies in the Dutch Association of Insurers have agreed to cover any damage or injury caused by the tree until the February 1 deadline when a final decision on the fate of the tree will be made, according to NPR’s All Things Considered. Trees from American Forests collection of famous and historic trees make unique holiday gifts. Find one for everyone on your holiday shopping list at American Forests Historic Tree Nursery, www.historictrees.org Back to Top]Forest Devastatioin of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita A research team from Tulane University has recently estimated that as vegetation damaged by hurricanes Katrina and Rita breaks down, approximately 100 million tons of carbon will be released into the atmosphere. This amount is equal to the carbon that all the trees in the U.S. extract yearly from the atmosphere. In addition to carbon emissions, the loss of trees has allowed aggressive exotic species which grow quickly to invade open spaces where native trees once stood. Invasive trees such as the Chinese tallow hamper the natural regeneration of trees that grow slowly, including oaks and maples. American Forests has a designated Katrina ReLeaf Fund to plant native trees in regions affected by the hurricane. Planting trees for Katrina will help to neutralize the carbon effects of the disaster, restore natural ecosystems and return a sense of normalcy to people and communities. To plant trees for Katrina, visit Katrina ReLeaf. [Back to Top]Buy a stylish T-shirt, help plant 25 trees with American Forests TONIC partners with secular non-profits working around the globe who make huge differences in four key areas – the environment, education, health care and human rights. All of our cause partners have proven track records in what they do best, are committed to action now, and ensure that support reaches its destination quickly and efficiently. Tonic hands over a big chunk of their revenue, 40% on average, to the people who need it most. The good news is that they're not in competition for dollars you donate to other worthy non-profits. They just sell you stylish stuff and support meaningful causes along the way. Buy a t-shirt and help build schools in India. Or send bed nets to prevent malaria in Africa. Or plant trees in our forests. See the difference you can make exercising your purchasing power. Visit www.tonicgen.com today! [Back to Top]ConocoPhillips Settlement Brings California 2.8 Million Trees The oil giant also will donate $7 million to support offset projects in the Bay Area and $200,000 to restore the San Pablo wetlands. Brown called the agreement a “groundbreaking step in California’s battle to combat global warming. . .” “We are delighted to be chosen as the tree-planting partner for this historic agreement,” American Forests Executive Director Deborah Gangloff said. “While fire is a natural cycle for many ecosystems, many states—including California—have suffered from out-of-control fires as a result of years of having those natural processes inhibited.” Since 2000, American Forests has planted approximately 450,000 trees in California as part of its Wildfire ReLeaf program. Wildfire ReLeaf is part of American Forests’ Global ReLeaf program, which plants native species in damaged ecosystems for $1 a tree. Conoco’s donation will result in the planting of 2.8 million trees, and the sequestering of a million tons of CO2. Many American corporations are putting resources behind tree planting for the multiple benefits it provides. Rebuilding damaged ecosystems pays off in cleaner air and water, improved wildlife habitat, and sequestered greenhouse gas emissions. “We look forward to working with our California partners to determine the best locations to plant these trees,” Gangloff added. “By preventing erosion, restoring wildlife habitat and offering places for recreation, these trees will provide a significant boost to attempts to restore ecosystems damaged by out-of-control wildfires.” If you or anyone you know would like to help place PSAs in local newspapers, magazines, and publications please visit our PSA page online. Thanks again for your ongoing support. Are You a Member? You can do your part to help the environment today by joining AMERICAN FORESTS. Not only are 25 trees planted for you in a damaged ecosystem or forest restoration project, but you will also receive:
Join Today! Visit http://www.americanforests.org/ Forest Bytes Don't forget to forward this information to friends or colleagues. |
