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Public Invited to Arbor Day Celebration April 20 at Veterans Memorial Park

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 7, 2011

Contact:

Mike Miller, Parks Maintenance Manager
City of Auburn
253-931-3027

AUBURN, Wash. - April 7, 2011 - The City of Auburn cordially invites you to attend the City’s Arbor Day celebration on Wednesday, April 20 at Veterans Memorial Park located at 411 E Street NE at 10 a.m. City officials, along with volunteers from the Auburn Garden Club, The Chinook District of Garden Clubs, Auburn Tree Board, Auburn Park Board and representatives from the state Department of Natural Resources will be planting a Katsura tree as part of the Arbor Day commemoration. The Katsura Tree is donated by the Auburn Garden Club and the Chinook District of Garden Clubs.

Mayor Pete Lewis will also proclaim April 20 as Arbor Day in Auburn and encourage all citizens to support the efforts to protect our trees and woodlands, and plant trees to gladden the heart and promote the well-being of this and future generations.

Auburn is recognized by the National Arbor Day Foundation as a TREE CITY USA, which recognizes communities that effectively manage their urban forest and meet four TREE CITY USA standards. The standards including having a tree governing body; maintaining a comprehensive community forestry program that spends at least $2 per capita on the urban forest; maintaining a tree care ordinance; and holding an annual celebration related to Arbor Day. A member of the Statewide Washington Community Forestry Council will be on hand during the celebration to acknowledge Auburn’s designation as a “Tree City USA”.

As part of Auburn’s Tree City USA designation, the City of Auburn Planning Department manages Community Grants that encourages citizens to apply for tree plantings in residential and commercial neighborhoods. In exchange for financial assistance, groups must commit to plant, water and maintain the trees. For additional information about the Tree Grants, call the City of Auburn Planning Department at 253-931-3090.

In 2011, Arbor Day will be celebrating its 139th anniversary. Trees are a renewable resource, giving us paper, wood for our homes, fuel for our fires, and wherever they are planted; they are a source of joy, beauty and spiritual renewal. Trees can reduce erosion of our precious topsoil, cut heating and cooling costs, clean the air and provide habitat for wildlife.

For more information about Arbor Day or planting trees, call 253-931-3043.

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City of Auburn Parks, Arts & Recreation
910 Ninth St. SE
Auburn, WA 98002
www.auburnwa.gov