winternewspage3


PARSONS, KS HAS BEEN BUSY! Info from, Donna Seeley, Parsons Tree Board & past member of the KUFC Board of Directors. Parsons celebrated Arbor Day at their Arboretum on April 23rd, 1999. Their program consisted of classes of 4th and 5th graders from their local schools being invited to participate. They were asked to write a slogan and a poem to be judged by the Tree Board. This year's winner is Jessie Leon Wobertine, a student in Patti Findley's class. She used the slogan "TREAT TREES TREE-IFIC." Jessie was able to choose between a three foot Maple or a Sawtooth Oak for planting. Parsons also had a fitting tribute for the closing of their Washington Grade School which was built in 1884. On a drizzly day, many of the Washington Grade School students, young and old, braved the weather to plant a Kwanzan Cherry tree. A Tree City USA flag was presented to the City of Parsons! In spite of the rain, a good time was had by all and the tree planted in honor of the school will remind others of the service the school has given to their community!		THE SIXTH ANNUAL COMPOSTING WORKS CONFERENCE The Kansas Urban Forestry Council will again be a sponsor for the Confer- ence to be held in Lindsborg, KS at Bethany College and the Regional Tree Growing-Out Station. The KUFC will sponsor a breakfast for persons attending to again emphasis the importance of planting and caring for trees in cities and towns. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment remains a major sponsor of this yearly event. The Conference hopes to top its last year's performance and it is shaping up to do just that! Last year, there were 350 participants from eighteen different states! This year, registration from surrounding states of Oklahoma and Colorado is high AND to date, two men from Africa and four students from Russia have signed up to attend! More exhibitors are attending the event! You will be able to see equipment demonstrated and explained! And a special demonstraton is planned from TimberKing - on "how to use a one person sawmill" - is in the works! Register early and enjoy the community and the planned activities! For more registration information, call: 1-785-277-2424.
Just a note from the editor - Parsons thinks ahead! About five years ago, they planted a dozen Kwansan and Yoshino cherry trees! You should see them in the spring! It's worth a trip to Parsons, Kansas! How about going during the spring of 2000!!
		Mechanization made it possible to work larger farms with less labor, so farmilies moved to cities to find work. After World War II, large numbers of African-American farm families left the oppressive South for jobs in Northern industrial cities. Today, just 25 percent of Americans live in rural areas.
		WHY WE SHOULD SUPPORT THE PLANTING OF TREES IN CITIES AND TOWNS --