Once upon a time in Vermont, there was a little town where everyone loved trees.

Justin loved maple trees for their sap. It started as tractor noise and heavy buckets and dad laughing at sunset, but then it turned into syrup and creemees.

Cody loved birch trees for their bark. The magic of fire that he learned about at camp.

Kayla loved pine trees. They smelled like capture the flag.

Franny loved sticks.

Charlie loved putting a sharp chainsaw through wood. If he did it right, the chain pulled through fast and made long chips. He loved every single tree.  He loved cutting them with the saw too. It was complicated.

Doug loved his bonsai trees. He could see the future like a fast forward movie as they grew.

And Ellen loved trees so much that she worried about them every night. She had seen some of them fall before their time. She knew the only fix was planting more. Lots more.

Ellen went to town hall with a picture she drew of Main Street. Imagine this! She said. Showing a picture of big trees all the way down. 

I love it! Said Doug, the mayor, thinking of his Bonsai trees. But my job is to make sure our little town doesn’t run out of money. Maybe we should only plant half. Go ask the shopkeepers where they want the trees to be.

I love it! Said the shopkeeper thinking of her dog, Franny who loved sticks. But my job is to sell things in my shop. Maybe we shouldn’t plant one in front of my sign, but everywhere else is fine. Go ask the town highway department.

I love it! Said the highway supervisor. He was Justin’s dad; his woods were old and full of maples. But my job is to make sure drivers can easily see. Let’s not plant any near corners or traffic lights. But everywhere else is fine. Go ask the people who live nearby.

I love it said Charlie! Thinking of his chainsaw and the glory of trees he’d known before. But my job is to paint the walls. Let’s only plant them out in the open, not near buildings, to make sure they won’t scratch the paint. Go ask the power company.

I love it! Said the power company, thinking of wonderful, dappled shade. But my job is to keep the wires from falling down. So don’t plant any tall trees. Only short ones.

Phew, Ellen’s feet were tired. Her ears were tired too. But she did it. She talked to everyone and got permission to plant trees! This was a town where everyone loved trees after all. Of course everyone had said yes. 

She laid out her notes and her pictures. And what did she find? There was nowhere left to plant a tree. Not one. How could this be? Everyone had said yes. Everyone was so friendly and wished her good luck. 

Ellen looked closer. She found on her map a little blob. A blob! Yes! She looked in her book of trees, but there wasn’t one that would fit in the blob. So she looked in her book of bushes instead. A small bush alone in a blob, but no trees.

Those were the trees that no one planted.

Ellen went to town meeting with her drawings in order to set things right. 

Townspeople! She said. I talked to all of you, and you all said yes to the trees. And now, all we have is a bush alone in a blob.

They were all surprised. I only said one of the trees was blocking my sign!

But so did all the other shopkeepers said Ellen.

I only said to get rid of half said the mayor. But other people said no to the other half said Ellen.

I only said to keep them away from buildings said the painter. But the highway department said to keep them away from the corners said Ellen.

How could this happen? We all love trees! 

What did the urban forester say when you asked about these trees?

The urban forester can sort this out. Yes get the urban forester. Urban Forester, please step forward said the mayor.

The room was quiet. Wait. We don’t have an urban forester? I assumed we did. Who is looking after the trees? I REALLY THOUGHT WE HAD AN URBAN FORESTER!

I cut tree limbs when they block my sign.

I cut trees when they block the traffic lights.

I cut trees when they grow too close to the wires. 

But that’s not tree care, Ellen said. That’s sign, and traffic light, and wire care. Who tends the trees to make them healthy? Who plants the trees we all love?

Ellen stood up tall. Townsfolk, Mayor, Franny. I think If you don’t know who the urban forester is, I’m afraid its you. That’s why I drew my picture in the first place.

The townsfolk paused.

I guess… maybe there can be a tree in front of my shop, I can put my sign down low while the tree grows up high. Mine too. And my restaurant, maybe seeing people eat in the shade of the tree will be better than any sign.

I guess it’s okay if a little paint gets scratched, it wouldn’t be the end of the world.

I guess if we trim the trees so they won’t block the traffic lights we can do it carefully so the tree doesn’t get hurt.

I guess if there are short trees under the wires, then there can be tall ones everywhere else.

The mayor had always known that everyone in the town loved trees, and now they were finally putting that love into action. I guess if everyone wants these trees, then let’s pay for them said the mayor. All of them!

Ellen’s picture of the trees that no one planted had really changed. Because it wasn’t just Ellen’s picture anymore. Now it was a picture of the trees that everyone planted.