Delaware has once again been named a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation, recognizing the city’s dedication to effective urban forest management for the 42nd consecutive year.
To celebrate this honor, the City of Delaware held a tree planting ceremony on Arbor Day, April 28, at Hayes High School. The event was attended by Mayor Carolyn Kay Riggle and students from the Environmental Science class, who participated in the planting of a London Plane tree.
“Arbor Day is a day in which we celebrate the planting, upkeep and preservation of our community’s trees,” said Riggle.
The city has been actively engaged in planting trees throughout April, with 100 trees being planted at Smith Park earlier in the month. Volunteers and the City of Delaware Parks and Recreation Department worked together to plant 50 swamp white oak and 50 black oak saplings.
The Tree City USA program is a partnership between the Arbor Day Foundation, the U.S. Forest Service, and the National Association of State Foresters. Urban tree plantings have a number of benefits, including reducing energy consumption, cooling cities, and increasing property values. Trees also positively affect the local ecosystem by cleaning water and creating animal habitats that encourage biodiversity.
Founded in 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation is the largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees, with over one million members. For more information on the Tree City USA program, visit arborday.org/TreeCityUSA.
All photos courtesy of the City of Delaware, Ohio.