With the advent of spring, nearly all of us, whether or not we’re avid gardeners or naturalists, soon will be looking to the trees for signs of new life.

Although the bulbs and the early-flowering shrubs precede the deciduous trees in their display of spring, it is the trees that sound the full crescendo of the season. Their fresh, unfurling leaves are a symbol of the delicate beginnings of life — an annual passage that brings special meaning to those of us in the northern latitudes who delight in four distinct seasons.

Like many Mainers, though, Nancy and Douglas Johnson of Camden look to the trees throughout the year as sources of beauty and inspiration. The Johnsons run a tree care company in Camden called Johnson’s Arboriculture. They specialize in many elements of tree care — pruning and cabling trees, performing appraisals and inventories, preserving trees during construction, and community forestry.

The Johnsons see themselves as “treekeepers,” viewing each tree, especially those of historical significance, with an individuality that makes each one deserving of special consideration.

“The term `treekeepers’ encompasses care and preservation, education and stewardship,” Nancy explains. “Doug and I really feel like we are protectors of and advocates for trees.”

Through their years of work in the tree care profession, Nancy and Doug have found that many others view trees from the same perspective.

“There’s no question that people want to care for their trees,” says Doug, a Maine licensed arborist and an International Society of Arboriculture licensed arborist. “People love trees. Gradually, too, community appreciation of trees is increasing. We’ve found that people want to take care for their own trees as well as trees in their community. They want to guide them to long-lasting beauty and health.”

The Johnsons are involved in many community tree care projects around Maine. In their hometown of Camden, they have been instrumental in planning and implementing a project that will guide the town’s trees into the future. They also have worked with the towns of Union, Benton and Lewiston on similar projects.

The community forestry program they helped set in place in Camden laid the groundwork for the town’s meeting four standards required for certification as a 1995 Tree City USA community — establishing a tree board, implementing a tree ordinance and a community forestry program, and observing Arbor Day.

Doug serves as Camden’s alternate tree warden, a job which involves dealing with tree emergencies, watching for potentially hazardous situations along public throughways and responding to homeowners’ tree concerns. Through this position, he has been able to work with homeowners to help save key trees around town.

For the Johnsons, increasing the public’s appreciation of trees is an important part of what they do. Nancy founded the Johnson’s Arboriculture Legacy Tree Grant. She says the grant is one way to help groups of like mind perpetuate their community trees and forests.

“I think it’s really important for businesses to be socially and environmentally responsible,” she says. “We developed the grant to help nonprofit organizations or organizations with a public green space. People can apply Johnson’s Arboriculture to do tree care for their projects.”

The grant is awarded to preserve a tree or forest that is noted for its historical significance, size, landmark status, prominence or rarity. Last year’s winner of the Johnson’s Arboriculture Legacy Tree Grant, Merryspring Gardens of Camden, used the endowment to improve a champion white pine on the premises.

If your organization would like to apply for the 1997 Johnson’s Arboriculture Legacy Tree Grant, call Nancy Johnson at 236-6855 or write to Johnson’s Arboriculture, 43 Pearl St., Camden 04843. Act quickly as the award is announced during Maine’s Arbor Week, the third week of May.

Penobscot County area gardeners note: The Penobscot County University of Maine Cooperative Extension is offering a two-part gardening course called, “Divide and Conquer: If Julius Caesar Did It, So Can You!” Dr. Lois Berg Stack, UMCE ornamental horticultural specialist, and Gleason Gray, UMCE educator, will present the seminars about dividing perennials, bulbs, overgrown beds, shrubs and berry plants April 9 and July 8. For information on the program, contact the UMCE Penobscot County Extension Office at 800-287-1485 or 942-7396.

Diana George Chapin is the NEWS garden columnist. Send horticulture questions to Gardening Questions, % MaineWeekend, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402-1329. Selected questions will be answered in future columns. Include name, address and telephone number.