Photos by Rebecca Copley Members of the Monte Vista Tree Board and City of Monte Vista Public Works Department had a special planting of a new Amur maple tree in Fullenwider Park for Arbor Day.

MONTE VISTA — Members of the Monte Vista Tree Board and the City of Monte Vista Public Works Department held a special tree planting for Arbor Day in Fullenwider Park.

For many years, the Monte Vista Tree Board has celebrated Arbor Day by planting a new tree. This year the Tree Board has planted nine new trees in Monte Vista. Four were planted at Fullenwider and five at Chapman Park.

Tree Board member Kirby Self gave a brief address before the new tree was planted. Self gave some history on Arbor Day and explained that the first Arbor Day in America was celebrated in Nebraska City in 1872. The celebration being the result of the hard work of J. Sterling Morton. Self said that an estimated one million trees were planted on that first Arbor Day.

“Robert Louis Stevenson wrote, ‘It is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon men’s hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air that emanates from trees so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit.’ We are all familiar with the quality of air Stevenson references, as well as, food and medicines supplied by trees, and homes for countless birds and other wildlife, but what other benefits exist that justify spending taxpayer dollars to build an urban forest? Trees also provide us with attributes in health and safety, reductions in infrastructure and maintenance, and economic benefits for homes and businesses. It is these benefits that cause us to create Parks for community use and for us to continue to seek ways to obtain healthy trees for our future generations. This project is the continuation of a Park that all of Monte Vista can be proud of,” said Self during his address.

Self also said the new trees for Fullenwider were due to a grant from the Colorado Tree Coalition and Xcel Energy. He said that a few different species of trees were chosen for the project to add diversity to their urban forest and a pop of color as people are welcomed to Monte Vista’s downtown. The trees planted in Fullenwider were two Amur maples, and two oakleaf mountain ash.