TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

They're Planting For The Future

ADVERTISEMENT

By RONNIE BLAIR, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 26, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - Students at Pine View Elementary celebrated Arbor Day on Friday by making a long-term investment in their school's environmental health.

The students, with the help of Pasco County forester Arthur Clothier, planted a live oak near the school's outdoor covered area. Members of the school's Earth Patrol assisted Clothier as he lifted the young tree from its pot and eased it into a hole that had been dug before the school day began.

At Clothier's urging, the children tossed dirt into the hole before he used a shovel to finish the job.

"We've successfully planted a live oak here," Clothier said.

In about 40 years, when the tree is mature, the students can return to the campus with their own children and see the shade it will provide, Principal Cortney Gantt said.

The Arbor Day celebration also featured students Sydney Grant and MacKenzie Gaul reading poems they wrote about trees.

County Commissioner Pat Mulieri read a resolution commending all the Pine View students for their involvement in Arbor Day.

The Cadillac Of Trees

Karen Bryant, the school district's recycling coordinator, declared it a "day to be thankful for what trees provide us," such as oxygen and shelter.

Clothier, who chose a career devoted to trees, said he enjoys Arbor Day, when other people also take time to give trees some thought and perhaps plant a few.

"It's a great time of year to be a forester," Clothier said.

He said the live oak was a good choice to plant at the school because it's a "Cadillac urban tree" that is hurricane-wind resistant, disease resistant and resistant to insect attack.

"They really are nice oak trees," he said.

Even though he's a fan of trees, Clothier told the students that not every tree is a good tree.

Some trees - Brazilian peppers, for instance - are invasive species that don't fit in well with the Florida environment.

A Personal Pine

Clothier brought 750 slash pine seedlings, enough for every student at Pine View Elementary to take one home and plant it, adding to Pasco's tree population.

He told them not to waste too much time introducing the slash pines to their new homes.

"Those trees, they need to get in the ground either today or tomorrow if they are going to have a good chance of surviving," Clothier said.

The trees come with instructions on how to plant them, he said.

Students who don't have space in their yards to plant a tree could put the seedlings in a pot and have a house plant for awhile, he said.

The seedlings came from the Florida Division of Forestry's nursery in Chiefland.

In poor soil, the slash pines might reach a height of 20 feet, Clothier said.

In richer soil, they could reach 110 feet, but that's unlikely to happen.

"In Pasco County, that soil would be very rare," Clothier said.

A similar Arbor Day celebration is planned for Monday at Cotee River Elementary in New Port Richey.

Clothier said he plans to be there, with more slash pine seedlings in hand.

Reporter Ronnie Blair can be reached at (813) 948-4218 or rblair@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT