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Many of us have fond memories of a pleasant drive or walk down a street shaded by a canopy of trees -- the coolness of their shade on a summer day, the beauty of their fall color, even the winter beauty of snow outlining dark branches. I grew up on such a street lined with mature shade trees, a special time and place.

So I was pleased to see a separate green sheet in with last week's advertisers. It was an order form for the Chisago Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) annual tree and shrub sale. Our family has ordered and planted SWCD trees and shrubs over the years as we remove buckthorn from our wooded acres.

As I travel around the county I see many expanses of land, some with recently-built homes which have been built on converted cropland and are very open with only turf covering the ground. They could benefit in so many ways from the introduction of some trees and shrubs both around the houses and in the back areas.

Trees are a year-round gift of nature. They can protect us from winter winds as well as shade our homes from summer sun and heat, reducing both heating and cooling costs up to 25 percent. Trees used to be our main source of air conditioning. Now many of us only have to flip a switch. Anyone who bikes or who walks in the summer knows they absorb heat near paved areas. Summer temps can drop by up to 10 degrees under a tree's cooling canopy of leaves.

They attract and provide habitat for birds and other wildlife, increase property values, prevent soil erosion, and provide leaves for later use as mulch and compost. They soften the hard lines of our houses, helping them blend into their natural surroundings.

But in this age of environmental awareness, an unmistakable benefit is the ability of trees and shrubs to remove carbon dioxide from the air and convert it to oxygen. That's what plants do, and trees are our largest and longest-lived plants.

The SWCD annually offers shrubs and trees, both deciduous and evergreen, for a variety of soils and other conditions, many of them native species. With natives you don't have the possibility that they may become invasive, as has happened with buckthorn and the Amur ginnala maple. The SWCD offerings are about 2-feet tall and will come in packets of 25 for less than $25 for spring planting. This is the time to order. Need help in deciding what to plant? The SWCD offers help at 651-674-2333.

As bitterly cold and snowy as it's been, spring is only five weeks away. It's time to start planning! One of the classes offered at our Town and Country Expo March 8 is 'Tree Health and Selection,' taught by Jason Rehn from the SWCD. He will discuss how to select the proper tree for your location and how to keep your trees healthy for many, many years. The 10th annual Bonanza, 'Town and Country Expo' will be held Saturday, March 8, at the Abundant Life Church in North Branch. Call the Extension office at 651-213-5430, to have a brochure mailed to you or find the information on our website at www.exten sion.umn.edu/county/chisago/mg.

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