Tennessee Tree Day is Saturday, an effort to showcase the benefits of trees.
Several businesses across the Upper Cumberland have partnered with the Tennessee Environmental Council. Director of Operations Gwendolyn Blanton said people can purchase native trees, pick them up from local businesses, and then plant them throughout their community. Blanton said planting trees has more benefits than you might think.
“You might think oh well, trees are great for shade, they help trap rainwater, they help prevent flooding, they cool my house in the summer, but they do so much more,” Blanton said. “By planting native trees you are supporting not just your own little spot of wildlife in your house but all the wildlife in your neighborhood.”
Blanton said the council gets its trees from local tree nurseries and they have up to 15 locations across the Upper Cumberland where people can pick up their trees. Blanton said the council does provide descriptions of each tree so people can make the best choice when purchasing a tree.
“In terms of the Upper Cumberland area, all of the trees that we are offering will do well in the Upper Cumberland area,” Blanton said. “You just want to make sure that you read on our website the description of what kind of habitat that tree likes. you know does it like to have wet feet, does it like dry soil, and that will help you probably more than anything on how to pick the right tree.”
Blanton said the best places to plant trees are anywhere in the community where people have permission to plant. However, Blanton said not anywhere is an ideal location.
“A bad location would be right next to the road where the department of transportation is gonna come and spray poison on your tree,” Blanton said. “If you plant certain types of trees too close to the sidewalks, then some trees not all trees but some trees have roots that tend to grow sideways and can uplift your sidewalk or your concrete so you want to set it back from your roadways and sidewalks a little bit. You don’t want to plant it too close to your house cause you wouldn’t want the roots to go into your foundation and you don’t want to plant it under a powerline.”
Blanton said she recommends calling 811, which is the national call-before-you-dig number, to make sure there are not any gas, sewer, or water lines underneath, as roots can breach lines. Blanton said the last thing you would want to do is plant a tree and then have to quickly take it down.
Blanton said the council is currently offering a sale to make purchasing a tree to plant more affordable and is also offering scholarships for those who would like to plant a tree but can not afford one.
For more information about purchasing a tree to plant for Tennessee Tree Day and local pickup locations please visit Tectn.Org.
