By Crystal McGough, Associate Editor
TRUSSVILLE – The Trussville Tree Commission and Trussville Public Library have teamed up to provide informational activities for the public to enjoy the week of Feb. 20-25, Alabama’s Arbor Week, while learning about trees and their importance in not only our world, but our local communities.
While National Arbor Day is April 28, the state of Alabama celebrates Arbor Week each year during the last full week of February.
“Each state chooses, according to their zone and their climate, which week in the year would be best to plant trees,” said Jenna Jones, recording secretary for the Trussville Tree Commission. “So, in Alabama, it’s the last week in February.”
The Trussville Tree Commission, recently re-established in August 2021, has put the last two years to good use planting trees around the city of Trussville, having planted 18 trees in the past year alone.
“We are trying to replace trees that have been lost – the older trees – so we have a goal to plant six more this spring and probably at least 12 in the fall,” Jones said.
Arbor Week is a good opportunity for the Commission to spread awareness and help get the local community not only excited but involved in tree conservation.
This year, the Commission will be celebrating Arbor Week with a new distinction, as an official member of Tree City USA.
“We have now joined surrounding communities that are members of Tree City USA,” Jones said. “It’s quite a recognition.”
According to forestry.alabama.gov, “The Tree City USA program was created in 1976 during the bicentennial year of the Declaration of Independence. Sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters, the program has provided thousands of American communities’ guidance and national recognition to build effective community tree programs.”
In order to join the program, the Trussville Tree Commission had to meet certain qualifications.
“Under the guidance of Katie Wiswall (Alabama Forestry Commission) we completed the application,” Jones said. “As of 2023, we are now members of Tree City USA. That was no small feat to accomplish, but we are very proud of that. Thanks to our liaison, Councilman Perry Cook, and the 2022 Tree Commission that was newly formed, and the signature of Mayor Choat, we qualified. It’s a feather in our cap, and now it’s a responsibility that we would like to keep up year after year.”
As far as Arbor Week goes, a group of art students from Hewitt-Trussville Middle School, along with teacher and sponsor Kristin Meriam, did an art project to help advertise for the weeklong event.
Each student submitted a painting of trees and the Commission selected winners.
“We chose a first and second place and got the students’ permission to use their paintings for advertisement,” Jones said. “We’re trying to include the students. When you go through somebody else’s interest and you pull them into your interest, you just kind of learn about each other. Our mission is to support more trees and there are ways to do it that make people feel involved.”
Each of the students’ Arbor Week artwork will be on display all week, Feb. 20-25, at the Trussville Public Library.
One student, Bryant Gardner, was selected to have his painting on display at the office of the Alabama State Superintendent of Education in Montgomery.
On Thursday, Feb. 23, the Trussville Public Library will host guest speaker Henry Hughes at 6:30 p.m.
Hughes, the retired Director of Education at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, will be speaking on native trees in the urban landscape.
On Saturday, Feb. 25, the Alabama Forestry Commission will be giving away bare root/tree seedlings at the pavilion on the Mall from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Also that morning, Girl Scout Troop 30679 will be helping to plant the celebratory Arbor Day tree near Heritage Hall, and Jean Cox, VP of Friends of Pinchgut Creek, will be providing face-painting.
There will be door prize giveaways at both Thursday’s and Saturday’s events, as well.