Letter: Plant seeds for our future

When the first non-native settlers entered the Salt Lake Valley, there were few trees. They wanted shade fast, so they planted fast-growing trees. Some of the first city ordinances required the planting of street trees. Early Salt Lake City had an urban forest that was uniform, beautiful and remarkable, as described by early travel writers. As the short-lived trees died, longer-lived elms, oaks, sycamores and maples were planted in the missing teeth. Gradually, the urban forest changed to includ