BONNERS FERRY — Super 1 Foods in Bonners Ferry hosted another Arbor Day celebration on April 26.

With a local fire department bringing their expertise to attendees both young and old, they showcased not only a fire truck, but the hose, the pump generator, and all of the tools that are utilized in an emergency fire situation. They assisted children with operating the fire hose and knocking a ball off of a traffic cone in order to teach them the strength it takes to hold and direct the powerful stream of water.

There were booths that boasted literature on safely managing private forestland, who to contact, and other fire safety tips. There were a variety of options of trees to plant, coloring sheets, pamphlets, and other sources of information for people to utilize in order to understand and carry out property maintenance.

Arbor day has a history, stemming from Nebraska. The same year that Idaho became a state was the year that a group of people decided that bringing to light the planting of a renewable resource was important enough to make a national day out of it, resulting in Arbor Day.

“Back in 1890 there was a guy that noticed that trees weren’t really growing back a whole lot,” said Jim Kibler about the rapidly receding resource during the time. The groups of people brainstormed ways to keep the renewable source so that they could continue to utilize the wood for building, paper, and heat.

“It is a day to celebrate going out and planting trees,” said Kibler. “Also, being aware of the environment and what is going on. It is a program that encourages tree planting.”

Trees are good because they sustain oxygen and is a renewable resource that we can utilize for a multitude of reasons and products.

From structures to plastics, trees are important to not only the environment, but to the sustainability of it and those residing in it. Keeping trees planted after harvesting keeps the resource available for the good of the community, but the good of the forest and its inhabitants as well. Logging not only gives the community a form of income, but also keeps the county more safe from wild fires due to the constant cleanup of the surrounding forestlands.