City of Wooster celebrates Arbor Day 2024
National Arbor Day, a secular day of observance in which individuals and groups are encouraged to plant trees, is celebrated in all 50 states.
The most common date for the state observance is the last Friday in April — National Arbor Day — but a number of state Arbor Days are at other times to coincide with the best tree-planting weather, from January and February in the south to May in the far north.
The City of Wooster continues to be recognized by the Arbor Foundation as the original “Tree City USA,” and this year on June 20, the designated planting site was located at Madison Gateway, as seven Thuja green giant arborvitaes and two Washington hawthorns were planted.
The celebration started off with newly elected Mayor Bob Reynolds reading the proclamation to all who attended and by thanking those who have dedicated their time and efforts in continuing the city’s 48th consecutive year being recognized as a “Tree City USA.” This is an important recognition to the city and will continue to be so for years to come. Post ceremony, Reynolds and Bob Romig, president of the Urban Forestry Commission Board, aided with applying the last layer of top soil to one of the many trees planted.
Having an Urban Forestry Commission and certified arborists/laborers on city staff to dictate the care and planting of trees throughout the city is crucial in the success of the Urban Forestry program. Each year the City of Wooster strives to plant 150-200 trees and encourages others to follow suite in planting trees in their own green space.
Wooster Noon Lions Club and Junior Women’s Club performed their annual distribution of over 600 dogwood and magnolia trees on Arbor Day to Wooster City Schools’ children in first grade through fifth grade for planting at their residences to help increase shade in Wooster each year in honor of Arbor Day.
