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Among the great biodiversity present in the Lower Hudson Valley, one of the most common natural elements that we encounter are trees. And in the suburbs, this means tree trimming is common. As we approach the summer months, it is a good 4me to remember that tree trimming should be approached with care and with measured decisions. As the University of Georgia's Department of Hor4culture published, re- moving too many branches from a tree can hurt not only the tree's health but make the tree more dangerous to live near because it means the tree is more likely to lose branches at random than when it was intact and healthy. Trees or 4mber are homes to an array insects and creatures and can also take anywhere from 10 to 100 years to decompose. Keep this in mind when doing tree trimmings this spring and summer. While the above topics hit on some major ecologi- cal considera4ons for the spring and summer months, there are things you can do every day to connect with nature and aid in environmental preserva4on and apprecia4on. The Hudson Valley is a beau4ful area with parks and lakes, rivers and mountains. With the EPA rescinding its endangerment findings, ecological conserva4on and natural preserva4on are more important than ever. Take a walk and your apprecia4on for nature will only grow the longer you spend amongst the trees. Nature is good for you. All we encour- age is that you in return, be good to nature. become so disoriented they don't go back to their hives have panic attacks at night, causing mass deaths raising babies abandon their dens in fear & other animals perish after ingesting firework debris have anxiety & panic attacks Courtesy of @SilentFireworks Tree amputation and stumping is not only an ugly eyesore for a community to experience, it is a reflection of disconnection from basic plant biology. Any new, fast growing sprouts are weakly attached to the branch stubs, which often decay because the tree is unable to compartmentalize and seal off the large open wounds. It means the tree is more likely to lose branches at random than when it was intact and healthy toxic waste into waterways. With fireworks, chemical hazes of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide lead to hazardous breathing condi4ons and air quality environment for everyone. One alterna4ve to fireworks this summer are drones. As seen across the country the last couple of years, including in New York City, drone shows can be a stunning replacement to the tradi4onal fireworks show. Drones can create longer-last- ing illuminated designs in the sky than fireworks. The designs can be even more intricate than fireworks, due to the level of crea4ve control the designer has using hundreds of drones that can hit mul4ple different forma4ons before descending from the sky. Drones can eliminate the fear aspect and danger- ously high noise frequencies for children, babies, and espe- cially animals. Dogs will no longer have to whimper low to the ground or challenge the banging with barks of their own. Now this is a real cause for celebra4on! h5ps://www.epa.gov/regula4ons-emissions-vehicles-and-engines/final- rule-rescission-greenhouse-gas-endangerment h5ps://site.extension.uga.edu/bartow/tree-amputa4ons/ Trees 10 HOOK

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