In commemoration of National Arbor Day, Northern Indiana Public Service Company will host a number of tree-planting and educational events to demonstrate to local students and residents the importance of trees, and of planting the right tree in the right place.

Starting this week and running through May, NIPSCO will visit schools and communities to donate trees and demonstrate proper planting practices.

The events scheduled for Middlebury are as follows will be at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, April 18, at Riverbend Park, 511 E. Warren St., and 8 a.m. Saturday, April 25, at Dogwood Hills Tree Farm, 53899 CR 39.

The events scheduled for Goshen will be at 8 a.m. Friday, April 24, at Goshen Middle School, 1216 S. Indiana Ave., and 4 p.m. Friday, April 24, at Goshen Rieth Center, 410 W. Plymouth Ave.

NIPSCO’s Forestry Operations department has been honored by the Arbor Day Foundation as a Tree Line USA utility. For 22 years, NIPSCO has received the Tree Line USA award, which recognizes professionalism and environmental stewardship.

Although choosing the right tree for a particular location is very important, please remember that correct pruning also contributes to the tree’s longevity. Here are a few things to remember:

• The best time to prune flowering trees is after they are done flowering.
• Prune hardwood and evergreen trees during the dormant season of late fall and winter.
• Prune head or dying branches anytime.
• Be sure to use sharp tools and to make clean cuts.

For more information or to learn more about NIPSCO’s Forestry Operations, call 1-800-4-NIPSCO or visit NIPSCO.com/Trees.