The City of Springfield's Arbor Day event was held at Warder Park Wayne Elementary and concluded with City staff helping the kids plant a tree behind the school. Courtesy City of Springfield
The month of April brought Springfield back to its roots with Arbor Day celebrations and recognitions that were put on hold by the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, both were back with great fanfare, and members of the City of Springfield Service Department and Forestry Division were full of the joys of Spring.
Springfield City staff attended a treasured community event on April 29 – the annual Arbor Day celebration with elementary school students. The annual program featured community leaders joining the kids to promote the value of trees and their benefits to the environment.
City of Springfield Service Director Chris Moore greeted the kids before Springfield Service Department Forestry Superintendant James Wills read to his young audience as he leafed through “A Tree is Nice,” by Janice May Udry.
Mayor Warren Copeland presented a proclamation at the event.
“It’s always one of the happiest days of the year to be able to see kids excited about the work that we do,” says Wills. “It’s refreshing to hear kids sing songs and get excited about planting a new tree.”
Just days earlier, City staff attended an Arbor Day Foundation ceremony in which Springfield was declared a Tree City USA, a recognition that the City has received each year since the program’s inception in 1976.
Springfield achieved Tree City USA recognition by meeting the program’s four requirements: a tree board or department, a tree care ordinance, an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.
“We’re proud to serve the community by maintaining a healthy and robust canopy, as well as beautifying our neighborhoods and public spaces,” says Wills. “We’re excited to receive this recognition and to be among so many other proud recipients.”
Trees provide multiple benefits to a community when properly planted and maintained, says Wills. They help to improve the visual appeal of a neighborhood, increase property values, reduce home energy costs, remove air pollutants and provide wildlife habitat, among many other benefits.
The Arbor Day event was held at Warder Park Wayne Elementary. The celebration concluded with City staff helping the kids plant a tree behind the school.
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