LIFE IS BETTER WITH TREES

BY KERI-LYNN MCBRIDE

“Learn character from trees, values from roots, and change from leaves.”

~ Tasneem Hamed

After nearly a year of extensive planning with Tree New Mexico (TNM), 108 new trees were added to the existing 616 trees on our beautiful Santa Fe campus. Students, staff, NMSD Alumni Board, Board of Regents, former Supt. Stern and Supt. Gallegos, Mayor Webber, and TNM’s staff and volunteers worked side-by-side on this massive undertaking.

TNM, founded in 1990, is a state-wide nonprofit dedicated to helping communities plant and care for trees throughout "The Land of Enchantment". When a donor approached them with a desire to give trees to NMSD, we graciously accepted this amazing gift and opportunity.

In addition to extensive planning throughout the school year for the planting day, we learned about NMSD’s carbon footprint and how vital trees are to human life. They give us oxygen, store carbon, stabilize the soil, and give life to the world’s wildlife. NMSD is committed to a cleaner and greener future, and we are profoundly grateful to the anonymous donor who donated our new trees.

Shannon Horst, Executive Director of TNM shared, “Tree New Mexico was honored to organize a planting of 108 trees at the NMSD Campus in Santa Fe. Working with the NMSD team was a wonderful experience. We were excited to facilitate a community planting and see what benefits these trees bring to this already incredibly special community.”

What a fun and educational way to benefit our campus and the earth!