Arbor Day in Georgia is Feb. 17 this year, and it is a great celebration of the environment, nature and trees in our community.

This year the celebration will be held at 10 a.m. at the Frances Meadows Aquatic Center at 1545 Community Way in Gainesville.

The event is sponsored by Georgia Power, Keep Hall Beautiful, Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce and the Hall County Master Gardeners, which is part of UGA Cooperative Extension-Hall County.

In addition to celebrating trees, the creative talent of local school children will be rewarded by announcing the winners of the Arbor Day Essay Contest.

Planting trees is a small way to give back to the community, but also enriches your life as well.

Trees provide shade during the heat of summer. A well-placed tree offering shade to the southwestern side of a house can help decrease energy bills by at least 15 percent. A windbreak of trees on the northwestern side of a landscape can reduce heating costs as well.

The energy savings, even though small for the individual, add up for the power companies. This means these savings will be generally passed down to the consumer.

Trees also help reduce noise pollution and help filter out pollutants from the air. Their root systems also help cut down on water pollution from too much soil erosion during heavy rains.

But how do trees affect us in other ways?

Trees have a general calming effect on us. When we are in a park filled with trees, we feel like we can slow down and take time to enjoy life, even if it is just for a few minutes to allow the kids to play.

Hospital patients have a faster recovery time if they are able to look out and see trees around them. Trees increase property values by 10 percent or more and create a safer neighborhood.

Trees also enhance wildlife in our urban areas. Trees provide food and shelter to birds and mammals. Having wildlife like songbirds around the house is a great way to reconnect to nature and provide teaching opportunities to children as they watch them feed and build nests.

Trees are important to so many of us, our environment and our community. Come out to celebrate with everyone at the Arbor Day celebration.

Michael Wheeler is county extension coordinator for the UGA Cooperative Extension in Hall County. You can contact him at 770-535-8293, www.hallcounty.org/extension. His column appears weekly and on gainesvilletimes.com/life.