The loss of lives and property during the April 2011 tornado outbreaks makes many other issues pale in comparison. But across Cullman and other areas there was much distress about the vast amount of trees felled by the powerful storms.
Throughout Cullman, residents have long been proud of the old trees that shaded yards and portions of the commercial district, which added to the beauty of the area.
The bad news is that replacing old, majestic trees is a lengthy process. The good news is that efforts to do just that — replace trees — will be happening sooner than some people may have expected.
The Alabama Forestry Commission and the National Arbor Day Foundation have joined together through the Alabama Tree Recovery Campaign to restore trees in north Alabama communities that were damaged by the tornadoes. The City of Cullman will receive up to 3,000 2-4-foot high tree seedlings from the program.
The planned arrival of the trees is great news for Cullman. The post-tornado rebuilding effort is aimed at restoration of every facet of physical life in the community — commercial buildings, houses and trees. And that’s how it should be.
Trees are one of the notable defining features in many communities. The presence of this natural beauty enhances neighborhoods, business areas and the general livability of the community.
Bringing the pleasant beauty of trees back to the storm-ravaged areas will go a long way toward rebuilding the beauty and spirit of the community.
Editorials
Bringing back the trees
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Moving into the future
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Editorial: Seizure of AP phone records insult to independent press
This amounts to spying on an American news organization -- common practice in dictatorships but scary conduct in a democratic system that prizes the public value of an independent watchdog press.
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EDITORIAL: The IRS' Turn to Answer Questions
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Editorial: The house of death
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Editorial: Murder, insanity and guns
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Lasting partnerships
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COMMENTARY: Why does young adult fiction keep giving its heroines makeovers?
Over at This Ain't Living, s.e. smith (who, full disclosure, has guest-blogged for me at ThinkProgress) has an excellent post about one of the most pernicious trends in young adult fiction.
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A spirit for moving forward
This weekend marked the two-year anniversary of a deadly day of tornadoes that streaked across Alabama, claiming lives and property and changing the landscape of many communities.
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Faith and bombs
The investigation of the Boston Marathon bombing is pointing to the all-too-familiar theme of religious faith playing a major role in violence.
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Keeping the US safe
The empty streets of Boston as authorities searched for two terror suspects was an eerie reminder of the vulnerability of innocent people.
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Moving into the future



