Which is your favorite?

To find details on submitting a photo of a special Ashland tree, visit the Ashland 150 Web site at www.ashland150.com and look under the PLANT 150 section.

The battle between the bulldozer and the trees is becoming all too familiar to Carolyn Peart.

And the bulldozing is winning.

As more subdivisions are developed in Ashland, she fears the destruction will continue. That's why she was thrilled with the creation of PLANT 150, a town project that is encouraging residents to plant 150 trees throughout the town in celebration this year of Ashland's 150th anniversary.

"I think trees can be a symbol of where we have been and where we want to go," Peart said. "If we don't take care of the things that are important to us, we won't continue to flourish."

Planting saplings isn't enough, she said. It's also important to remember the established trees that hold special meaning to residents. As part of PLANT 150, the town is inviting people to submit photos of their favorite Ashland trees and their thoughts on what makes the tree special to them.

"I think people - from the littlest child who swings from a tire swing to the first-time homebuyer - need to think about how trees in their everyday lives can make them better," said Elizabeth Scarpino, who is helping organize the Great Trees of Ashland project.

Scarpino is not an Ashland resident - she lives in Richmond's North Side. But she plans to submit a photo of a tree at the Shiloh Baptist Church cemetery.

"At first we were talking about having a contest to honor the tallest tree, the oldest tree and so forth," Scarpino said. "But I thought all trees are beautiful in the eyes of the beholder. We should feature them all instead of pitting them against each other."

Peart plans to submit a photo of a tree in danger of being bulldozed to make room for a subdivision off Yowell Road.

"There are so many beautiful trees on that property," she said. "They are a symbol of a much larger issue. We can use this project as a way to create awareness of the [development] issues that face our community."