Tree City is planting shade trees and growing a community

Kirtland Air Force Base received a shade tree from a nationwide program for the 16th year.

In an annual planting ceremony, the Tree City program brought a young box elder shade tree to the lawn outside Mountain View Club. The tree is drought- and heat-tolerant, and was grown at Trees of Corrales, a local business.

Chelsea Farrell, base community planner, said the location of the new tree was chosen because irrigation was already available there, a Tree City tree from a past year was nearby and the new tree would equalize shade on the club.

Kirtland is one of 11 communities in New Mexico to be named a Tree City through the Arbor Day Foundation. The New Mexico State Forestry Division has a grant to administer the program.

Forestry division community forester Jennifer Dann said communities must meet four standards to become a Tree City.

“It shows a long-term commitment to trees and their care,” she said.

Particularly in New Mexico, Dann said, trees are important because they provide natural cooling that saves energy and helps reduce the “urban heat island” effect.

Asphalt and concrete materials use in construction of roads and parking lots reflect the suns energy, creating island of heat.

“And of course, we all want to stand underneath them,” she said.