Let’s face it, a little dose of nature goes a long way towards rejuvenating the spirit and reconnecting us to our intrinsic qualities of being products of the natural world itself.

How easy it is to meld into the fabricated configuration of stone, steel, and glass that dominates our everyday lives. And yet, there is something that is soothing and uplifting about taking a quiet walk through a forest or along the seashore, drinking in the grandest designs of all, those not made by human hands.

Our villages, towns and larger cities all sprang forth out of humble – and natural – environs. The grasses, trees and shrubbery gave way to the maker’s hands, gradually subsiding to an increasingly diminished measure of prominence, almost to the point of negligible existence in many cases.

How many of us remember the tree-lined boulevards of our youth? One could nearly jump from branch to branch, traversing whole neighborhoods if one cared to do so.

Some communities have retained a good balance between the natural and the artificial, while others have fared less well in recent years. The City of Somerville is now taking steps to correct a perceived shortage in the number trees that would be optimal for its quality of life.

We trust that sound decision-making will prevail when it comes to placement and selection of species to be planted. Issues have arisen in the past because of poor planning and implementation, causing problems of root invasion into residential spaces, as well as displacement of sidewalk structures and street asphalt.

All in all, the undertaking should be a boon to the community. While providing relief from excessive heat in the summer, adding to the beauty of our neighborhoods, and providing sanctuary to our indigenous populations of birds and squirrels, we should welcome the opportunity to add a lot more green to our urban landscape.

Whether climbing them, hugging them, or just admiring them, we need them.