In honor of Arbor Day and as a way to grow Easthampton’s tree canopy, the city of Easthampton will distribute free tree seedlings on Saturday May 7th to interested residents for planting in their yards.
From 9am to 12 noon, in the parking area of Easthampton’s municipal building at 50 Payson Avenue, City volunteers will offer 300 tree seedlings–and instructions for planting them–on a first come first serve basis. Residents can choose from three species: White oak and Ginkgo, both of which can become large shade trees; and Washington Hawthorn, a native flowering tree whose fruit birds enjoy.
“Trees provide shade during hot summer days and enrich the ecosystems that people and wildlife depend on for health and happiness. Tree planting is such an important part of maintaining Easthampton’s urban canopy and I hope residents will consider planting a free tree seedling in their yard,” explained Easthampton’s Tree Warden, Sarah Greenleaf.
Easthampton’s Arbor Day activity comes on the heels of the City’s first ever public shade tree inventory which involved 45 volunteers, captured details of 400 street trees, and identified the Maple tree as Easthampton’s most common street tree (40%). This tree inventory and the May 7th tree seedling giveaway, along with upholding Massachusetts Shade Tree Law, MGL Chapter 87, are important steps in growing Easthampton’s urban forestry program.
Today, Mayor Nicole LaChapelle will make the City’s first ever Arbor Day Proclamation, declaring Saturday’s tree seedling giveaway event as Easthampton’s official Arbor Day celebration. Easthampton joins dozens of other communities across the Commonwealth in making the commitment to celebrate this national holiday and to preserve and enhance its urban forest.
