The City of Statesboro Tree Board will host a 'Planting the Future' Arbor Day Celebration event next Friday, February 21. The event will be held at 4:00 p.m. at the Statesboro Food Bank located at 506 Miller Street, Statesboro. Members of the community are invited to commemorate Arbor Day by participating in a ceremonial tree planting, learning more about the importance of trees, and donating to a food drive.
“The Arbor Day Celebration will be hands-on and educational,” says Shawn Diddie, the Statesboro Tree Board chair. “The more people know about trees and are educated about how amazing they are, the more they will work to care for and protect trees in their yards and communities.”
Statesboro Tree Board officials say the mission of this year’s Arbor Day Celebration is twofold: planting two live oak trees and collecting donations for its food drive.
Anyone who donates food items to the drive will receive a free tree seedling, and each food item donated will be counted as an entry to win a fruit tree. The Planting the Future event is presented in partnership with the Statesboro Food Bank, Girl Scouts, Statesboro STEAM S.E.R.V.E.S., Southern Scapes Nursery, Georgia Forestry Commission, and Georgia Tree Council.
Local Girl Scout troops, led by Katie Christmas, who serves as Cherry Service Unit Manager and the Georgia Southern Campus troop advisor for college-aged scouts, will assist with setting up tables, food collection, and tree planting. Two Girl Scouts troop members will also share the importance of trees with attendees.
Statesboro STEAM Charter School’s S.E.R.V.E S. community service club, led by Teacher Veronica Corbett, will be helping at the celebration wherever needed, and two students will share what trees mean to them during the event.
Brian Powell, owner of Southern Scapes Nursery, has graciously donated fruit trees for the Arbor Day Celebration drawing. Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC) has donated seedlings for the free seedling giveaway and will have a Ranger present to answer questions about planting. Sam Smith, GFC Urban and Community Forestry Specialist, will also be attending the event and giving away tree care pamphlets. Mel Sparrow, Georgia Tree Council (GTC) Executive Director, will be on-site with information about GTC and tree-related topics.
“Trees really are amazing,” explains Shawn Diddie. “Trees provide oxygen and precious shade, improve air quality by filtering out pollution and provide food and shelter for wildlife. Tree roots can improve water quality near cities by filtering out pollutants from asphalt and concrete. Roots can also reduce flooding by absorbing water for tree survival and prevent erosion by holding soil in place. These are just a few of the benefits.”
The Statesboro Tree Board hopes that by hosting events like “Planting the Future” and celebrating Arbor Day, they can highlight the importance of trees and demonstrate the impact of a healthy tree canopies in Statesboro.
The first American Arbor Day took place in Nebraska in 1872. In the 153 years since then, Arbor Day has been celebrated nationwide on the last Friday in April, with many states celebrating on a day that coincides with its region's best tree-planting weather and conditions. For example, Georgia celebrates Arbor Day on the third Friday of February, near the end of its optimal tree planting season. In the Southeast region, ideal tree planting is during the dormant season (November 1 through March 1). Two of the reasons planting during this time is better for a tree is that it gives a tree more time to devote its energy to developing its root system and adapting to the new environment where it is planted. The tree will also need an expansive root system to absorb water during South Georgia's hot summers, so getting an early start is essential.
During the Statesboro City Council meeting on February 4, Mayor Jonathan McCollar signed a proclamation officially recognizing February 21 as Arbor Day in the City of Statesboro.
The City of Statesboro was also recognized during the council meeting by Chief Ranger Paul Kitchens and Ranger Nick Kloid of the Bulloch County Unit of the Georgia Forestry Commission, along with Sam Smith, Urban and Community Forestry Specialist, for receiving a Tree City USA designation for the 32nd year in a row. The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters. Statesboro achieved the Tree City USA designation for meeting the program’s four requirements: maintaining a tree board or department, having a tree care ordinance, dedicating an annual community forestry budget and hosting an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.
