Arbor Day is a nationally-celebrated observance encouraging tree planting and care. Founded by J. Sterling Morton of Nebraska in 1872, Arbor Day has been celebrated nationally since the 1880’s on the last Friday in April. The last full week of February each year is designated as Arbor Week in Alabama to coincide with the best tree planting time for our region. Alabama Arbor Week 2010 is the week of February 21.

The City of Prattville will observe Arbor Day 2010 on Wednesday, February 24th, at 10:00 a.m. at Overlook Memorial Park. The park is located at 299 Jay Street, just south of Daniel Pratt Elementary. The observance will include reading of the Arbor Day Proclamation by Mayor Jim Byard and planting of an American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) donated by the Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama and the Montgomery Tree Committee. Hyundai and the Montgomery Tree Committee contributed significantly to last year’s Arbor Day observance, Prattville ReLeaf, which included the planting of 400 trees in neighborhoods impacted by February 2008’s EF3 tornado.

Again this year the Alabama Forestry Commission has graciously provided a thousand tree seedlings for distribution to the public. Volunteers from the Autauga County Master Gardeners will distribute the trees following the Arbor Day observance. Available species include a variety of oaks (nuttall, sawtooth, shumard, water and willow) along with beauty berry, crape myrtle dogwood, and persimmon.

For more information concerning Arbor day 2010 or the city’s horticulture/urban forestry program, please contact Joel Duke at 334-361-3613 or joel.duke@prattvilleal.gov. Additional information is available on the City Arbor Day website www.prattvillereleaf.com.

Printable Flyer

Enjoy Trees: The act of planting and faith in the future by Bailey Thomson (The City of Prattville thanks Bailey's widow, Kristi Thomson, for being so generous as to allow us to re-run Bailey's beautiful article.)