Revitalize

The young live oak trees being donated to new homes were gathered in a tight cluster in the parking garage of the Blevins building Tuesday afternoon in Franklin.
Chad Boutte, Franklin Bicentennial Committee, volunteered for the project after discussing it at a committee meeting.
He said of the inception of the project, “I think, for the bicentennial, it was made very clear from the beginning that not only are we celebrating Franklin’s past, but we are also celebrating its present and future.
“It just came to mind that planting trees would be a great project,” he said.
Boutte added that the live oak is not only a hearty tree with branches that are fun to climb, it also links to the identity of Franklin with a cultural imprint, alongside that of its Spanish moss draperies.
The thin trees stood behind a bassinet with bows, blankets and balloons.
Each tree was given a name by its adoptive parent/parents, and with its name—a sex based on the wishes of the parent, and a certificate of adoption.
As we sat and talked, the parents arrived and Boutte set about arranging for a celebratory photograph, he also helped load the young oaks into their new parents’ automobiles, and sent them on their way.
The trees were donated by the St. Mary Soil and Water Conservation District through a grant from Apache Corporation.
Andrea Dumesnil, SMSWCD secretary was on hand for the adoption of the trees along with others from the office, and discussed how she, Boutte, and her office became involved in their partnership, “They (Boutte as per the committee) came to our office looking for soil information and we started talking and it was like, ‘Wait a minute, I can utilize you,’ and ‘I could utilize you,’ and that’s how that marriage came to be.”
“And then they had babies,” added Boutte. As Andrea said, I stumbled upon their office with soil samples, and it was like, ‘Wait a minute! They have trees and they will give them to us. This is awesome!’”
And the rest is history for the future.
The trees dwindled in number and smiles were easy to find as each new parent went away with their bespoken.
And with more trees to be planted around the city and parish, the district can be found with Boutte later this week, weather permitting, planting more trees on Thursday morning; the more to speak to the hearts and lungs of those to come, and to lean on their compliments in the shade they impart—or to climb, whichever might apply.