Valdosta Honored for 30 years of Caring for Trees at Arbor Day Event

The social, community, environmental and economic benefits of trees and our community's commitment to care for them will be celebrated at the 2016 Arbor Day event, on Friday, Feb. 19, at 10 a.m. The event, hosted by the Valdosta Tree Commission, will take place at the American Legion Post 13, located at 1301 Williams Street.

During the ceremony, the Georgia Forestry Commission will honor the City of Valdosta as a Tree City USA community for its 30th consecutive year and for being one of only nine Georgia cities with this honor of 30 years or more.

Valdosta State University will also be recognized for its fourth year as a Tree Campus USA, making it one of 12 colleges and universities in Georgia with this designation. Georgia Power will also be recognized as the only utility company in the state as a Tree Line USA recipient for its 8th year.

Donald Davis, Director of the Lowndes County Historical Society and Museum, will speak at the event. Following his presentation, members of the Valdosta Tree Commission will announce the recipients of the Tree Planting, Preservation and Legacy Awards to individuals and organizations in the community who share in the investment of our community tree canopy. To commemorate the event, three Trident Maples will be planted.

The Tree City USA program was established in 1976 by the Arbor Day Foundation, the National Association of State Foresters and the USDA Forest Service to improve community forestry. Since then, additional programs have been initiated such as Tree Campus USA and Tree Line USA to further promote healthy trees, community involvement, and education. Today, there are more than 3,400 Tree City USA communities, 250 Tree Campus USA colleges/universities and nearly 150 utility companies that have been designated as Tree Line USA across the country.

Citizens are invited to attend the event. For more information about the Arbor Day Event, contact Amy Hall, Chairman of the Valdosta Tree Commission, at 229-561-5173.