27th City of Frederick Arbor Day Celebration

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Frederick, MD --- The City of Frederick will be celebrating its 27th year as a Tree City U.S.A. on Tuesday, April 3 at 1:00 p.m. at the annual Arbor Day celebration. Frederick is the only City in the state of Maryland that has held this distinction for 27 years. The ceremony and planting site will be in Baker Park next to the Edward Thomas pool off of Fleming Avenue. Parkway Elementary School third grade classes will present a tree program with music. The ceremonial tree this year will be a White Oak, which is the state tree. In 1941, the state of Maryland designated the White Oak (Quercus alba) as the State Tree, the most famous of which is the Wye Oak that was destroyed by high winds in 2002. The rain date for this event is Thursday, April 12th .

In order for a city to be honored as Tree City U.S.A., it must meet four standards set by the National Arbor Day Foundation. They are as follows:

Possess a tree board or department
Possess a Community tree ordinance
Possess a Community forestry program with an annual budget of at least $2 per capita
Hold an Arbor Day Observance with a Proclamation.
In addition to the Tree City USA award, the City will receive the Growth Award and the PLANT (People Loving and Nurturing Trees) Award. The PLANT award is a state-wide award recognizing tree planting and tree care efforts in communities.

Each year the National Arbor Day Foundation provides the City with a Tree City U.S.A. flag. This year that flag will be presented to the participating school. In addition, other ‘Tree City U.S.A.’ flags and banners will adorn the downtown area in observance of the celebration. The downtown area flags were purchased through generous donations made by the following sponsors: Greenwalled Garden Club, Frederick County Forestry Board, Stadler Gardens, Taskers Chance Garden Club, and The Garden Club of Frederick, in addition to a grant from the Maryland Urban and Community Forest Community Forest Committee.

The Arbor Day Program is an educational opportunity for the students and the community, promoting awareness, appreciation, and stewardship of trees. Trees enhance our quality of life and add value to our community. The public is invited and encouraged to attend.

For additional information, please contact Tom Rippeon, City Arborist, at 301.600.1233 or grippeon@cityoffrederick.com.