ROCKINGHAM – In a bid to fund the desperately needed, and severely underfunded, clean-up of Lake Champlain, the Vermont State Legislature is launching a new “Adopt-a-Tree” program that they hope will cover the current deficit. For a fee, people will now be able to “adopt” a tree out of Dorand State Forest in a program similar to the “Adopt-a-Highway” programs in other states.
People who buy into the program will get a small plaque placed on their tree of choice, and will get photos and letters from their tree once a month. And once the fall colors are over, they’ll get a bagful of dead leaves from their tree, although concerns were raised about the possibility of leaves from other trees being mixed in. “That’s a problem we’re still working on,” said program manager Tim Burr.
State Rep. Matthew Trieber, who represents the forested area, says, “Flatlanders will love this one! And even if their tree is cut down or just falls over, like so many do in the high winds, we’ll just send them a picture of another. I mean, who can tell the difference?”
You could avoid the mixed leaf confusion if you did “Adopt-a-Rock” instead. Except maybe rocks can’t do photos or letters. I like Tim Burr, though. Isn’t he dating May Pulsap?