Each spring, Arbor Day is observed annually to celebrate trees and encourage tree planting. Many communities around the world gather on this day to plant trees and take care of their parks.

At the Arbor Day celebration in the new Co-op Park in Shawano, Wis., NISC was awarded the 2018 Commercial ‘Nature’s Friend Award’ by the Shawano Tree Advisory Board for its outstanding property. The facility features a well-manicured lot and an abundance of trees. The Mayor and City Forester of Shawano were pleased with NISC’s mindfulness of nature during the construction of this facility.

“We look for outstanding properties, with trees that are taken care of,” said Tree Advisory Committee Chairman Bill Erdmann in explaining how the winners are chosen.

NISC employees also appreciate the forest of trees that surround the property.

“I especially appreciate the trees in our lot when I sit out on the back patio during lunch,” said NISC Lead Senior Technical Systems Specialist Rich Lemons. “They offer a sense of privacy and a nice escape from nearby traffic. I also enjoy the beautiful scenery and watching the animals, including birds, squirrels, and even an occasional muskrat.”

The City of Shawano was given $160,000 by United Cooperative to create Co-op Park, and with the support and donations from other members in the community – like Belmark Inc. and the Shawano Rotary – the park will be undergoing many additions this summer, including a playground as well as a bike path that will connect the park to the adjacent Mountain Bay Trail.

“It’s an example of how people in this community work together,” said Park and Recreation Director Matt Hendricks.

Like the City of Shawano, NISC truly works together for sustainable development of communities and strives to be good stewards by living out the Cooperative Principle of “Concern for Community.” NISC is pleased to receive the ‘Nature’s Friend Award’ and will be planting a flowering lilac tree on its Shawano property in acknowledgement.

Sometimes trees are taken for granted, especially here in the Midwest, but Arbor Day is a special reminder of the importance of trees as well as the benefits they provide us.