Rowan Anderson, left, and Taliyah White grapple with a sapling Friday at the Partnership Middle School. More than 200 saplings of local trees like Red Cedar and Arizona Cypress found a new home in an Arbor Day planting put on by the Tennessee Valley Authority and Starkville Utilities. The event celebrated two tree planting programs funded by the TVA natural resources team, which aims to plant one million trees on public and private lands. “We’re making an investment in the class of 2055,” said Wes Burger, dean of MSU’s College of Forest Resources. “Trees are mechanical wonders that can live over a thousand years, a remarkable, renewable natural resource. … They contribute to the prosperity and productivity of Mississippi, they bring a sense of place and community. They have a soothing, calming effect on our emotions. They provide a window into our past, and a promise for our future.” Cullen Paradis/Dispatch Staff