Federal Tree Planting Program

To whom it may concern,

In terms of sustainability, trees are amazing. They reduce storm water run-off and the urban heat island effect, they produce oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from the air, they provide shade and they can even lower electricity bills. Not to mention that they are nice to look at and bring a sense of nature to an otherwise man-made, urban environment. And the many species of trees allows urban foresters to tailor the specific constraints of a site (climate, road width, clearance, various obstructions, etc...) to the appropriate tree. While many local governments support tree planting initiatives, the federal government seems to only care about urban trees on Arbor Day. How can the federal government work with local jurisdictions to encourage a comprehensive, nation-wide, and on-going tree planting program?

GUNNAR HAND, AICP