By Shannon Lukens. Photos courtesy Brian Erhart.

 

Today is Arbor Day in the Town of Hayden, as officially designated Thursday night by the Town Council.

 

Trees were planted Thursday for the inaugural Arbor Day celebration by the newly established Hayden Tree Board, with help from SavATree, Maple Creek Landscapes and Native Ecosystems.

Trees were planted for the Town of Hayden in front of Town Hall, at Hayden schools with the 6th grade class, and with Katina’s Wee Care and Christa’s Little Learner  Childcare. Thank you to everyone who helped.

 

All celebrations were part of Hayden’s celebration of being a designated Tree City USA for 20 years.  The Tree City USA program was founded in 1976 to celebrate towns and cities committed to growing their urban canopy. Led by the Arbor Day Foundation, the U.S. Forest Service, and the National Association of State Foresters, it provides the framework necessary for communities to manage and expand their tree cover.

 

Current requirements to maintain a “Tree City USA” designation are as follows:

 

• The community must have a tree board or department.
• The community must have established a community ordinance for tree care.
• There must be a community forestry program with an annual budget of at least $2 per capita.
• The community must have an Arbor Day observance and proclamation