Local municipalities will be going green celebrating Arbor Day over the next two weekends as part of the National Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree City USA program.
Bay Minette
The Bay Minette Beautification Committee will hold its annual Arbor Day Tree Giveaway on Saturday, Feb. 27, at Bay Minette City Hall. The giveaway will begin at 8 a.m. and will remain open while supplies last.
Varieties of trees are expected to include river birch, red bud, red maple, sourwood, white oak, Shumard oak, elderberry, Caroline silverbells, sweet bay magnolia and loblolly pine. Bush Farms will also be on hand to sell fruit trees and blueberry bushes, among other selections. B’s Bees will be on hand to share information about bees and will be selling honey products.
The Beautification Committee will also be giving away seed packets for wildflowers and other pollinators. Residents will be limited to eight trees per household (two per species). Coffee and doughnuts will be available, courtesy of Crossroads Church.
For more details, call city hall at 251-580-1625.
Robertsdale
The City of Robertsdale’s Park, Street and Tree Committee will host a tree giveaway beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 27 at Honeybee Park on Alabama 59.
This year’s give away will be socially distanced. Those attending are asked to wear a mask in accordance with CDC guidelines.
This year 200 trees of each variety will be given away in homes of replenishing those lost from Hurricane Sally.
Varieties to be given away include river birch, catalpa, paw paw, red bud, silky dogwood, persimmon, green ash, ginkgo biloba, wax myrtle, Laurel oak, Northern red oak and live oak.
The city will hold a drawing to give away two camelias in honor of Arbor Day. You must be present to win. For more information call Park, Street and Tree Committee Chairman Sonja Conner at Robertsdale Public Works, 251-947-8950.
Silverhill
The town of Silverhill will hold a drive-through tree giveaway from 9 a.m. to noon Friday, March 5 at the Silverhill Community Center, 21918 Third St.
From 9 to 11 a.m., Silverhill residents can choose two potted trees. All others are welcome beginning at 11 a.m.
The giveaway includes (3-gallon) Shumard oak, bald cypress, and Savannah holly; (1-gallon) crepe myrtles, purple and white.
For more information call 251-945-5198.
The town of Loxley held its annual tree giveaway on Friday, Feb. 12 at the Loxley Municipal Park.
The annual Arbor Day celebrations are part of the local municipalities’ qualification as a Tree City USA community.
In order to qualify as a Tree City, municipalities must meet four standards established by The Arbor Day Foundation and the National Association of State Foresters.
According to the Arbor Day Foundation website, arborday.org, the standards were established to ensure that every qualifying community would have a viable tree management plan and program and were designed so that no community would be excluded because of size.
In order to qualify for Tree City USA status, municipalities must:
Arbor Day was originated in Nebraska City, Nebraska, by J. Sterling Morton. The first Arbor Day was held April 10, 1872 and an estimated 1 million trees were planted that day.
Many countries now observe a similar holiday. Though usually observed in the spring, the date varies, depending on climate and suitable planting season.