Tree planting crusades in Indy, beginning in 1850s

<p dir="ltr">Because April includes <strong><a href= "https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2020/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwpfHzBRCiARIsAHHzyZr_-eqJfIUX7xHyuCtAldi8eB8qf3V4mkrWYG3HFGi_GhormdaYEYsaAiyhEALw_wcB">Earth Day</a></strong>, Hoosier History Live will take the opportunity to explore tree planting crusades in Indianapolis, which have far deeper "roots" than many folks assume.</p> <p dir="ltr">Clear back in the 1850s - when the pioneer era wasn't even a distant memory and the Hoosier capital was not yet 40 years old - some residents were concerned about the loss of the city's tree canopy. In the spring of 1858, they organized the <strong><a href= "https://www.class900indy.com/post/the-1858-shade-tree-association-of-indianapolis">Shade Tree Association of Indianapolis</a></strong> to beautify the rapidly growing urban area with trees.</p> <p dir="ltr">Nelson's guest, Indianapolis attorney <strong>Ed Fujawa</strong>, has researched their crusade - as well as subsequent, periodic efforts to increase the city's tree canopy - for his blog about Indy history, <strong><a href= "https://www.class900indy.com/">Class 900</a></strong>. Ed is vice president of the <strong><a href= "http://butlertarkington.org/">Butler Tarkington Neighborhood Association</a></strong> and a member of the <strong><a href="https://mspconline.org/">Meridian Street Preservation Commission</a></strong>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src= "http://hoosierhistorylive.org/images/Kile-oak-2.JPG" alt= "This bur oak in the eastside neighborhood of Irvington, known as the "Kile Oak," is regarded as the oldest tree in the city of Indianapolis." width="249" height="447" align="left" />He notes the Shade Tree Association - which encouraged the planting of <strong>locust</strong> <strong>trees</strong>, <strong>maple</strong> <strong>trees</strong> and other hardy species - "fizzled as quickly as it appeared."</p> <p dir="ltr">Even so, Ed adds: "Interestingly, locust trees are still prominent throughout downtown, including around <strong>Monument Circle</strong>."</p> <p dir="