A Washtenaw County-based nonprofit offers free, hands-on workshops in Harrison and Clare to teach residents how to plant and prune trees.

ReLeaf Michigan of Ann Arbor is hosting the workshops on Sept. 6 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Harrison District Library, 125 W. Beech St., and on Sept. 13 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Pere Marquette District Library, 185 E. Fourth St. in Clare.

Led by Marvin Pettiway, a former University of Michigan campus forester and senior project forester at ReLeaf Michigan, the workshops provide detailed demonstrations of how to plant and prune a tree so it thrives and helps the environment.

Participants will pitch in and help Pettiway plant a tree in each of the libraries.

Workshop topics include choosing the right tree and planting site, preparing the planting site, planting a tree that will thrive, and pruning and caring for the tree after planting.

The workshops are funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Urban and Community Forestry Program under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

According to ReLeaf Michigan, for every four trees that die due to age, disease or development, typically only one tree is replanted.

Trees improve air quality by producing oxygen and storing carbon – according to ReLeaf, 100 trees remove 53 tons of carbon dioxide and 200 kilograms of other pollutants each year.

According to ReLeaf, trees also improve water quality by filtering pollutants, stabilizing soils, absorbing rainwater and reducing erosion.

Trees reduce energy use by providing shade. The net cooling effect of a young, healthy tree is equivalent to that of ten room-sized air conditioners running for 20 hours a day, say ReLeaf volunteers.

To confirm your participation in the workshops, go to https://www.releafmichigan.org/rsvp.html.

Originally published: August 21, 2024 at 1:41 p.m.