Wednesday, February 13, 2013 the Thomaston Tree Board celebrated Arbor Day with a celebration in the Thomaston-Upson Civic Center. Jody Nelson, Chairperson of Thomaston Tree Board welcomed the group to the annual celebration. Due to inclement weather, the tree planting was postponed until Feb. 20.
Jeff Sanders with Georgia Forestry Commission presented Mayor Pro Tem Doug Head with the city’s 25th annual Tree City Award, noting that not many cities in Georgia have been named a Tree City USA for 25 years in a row.
Mayor Pro Tem Head read the 2013 Arbor Day proclamation and thanked the Thomaston Tree Board for organizing Local Arbor Ceremony. Arbor Day activities for 2013 included a radio trivia contest which ran February 4-8, a coloring contest for K, 1, 2 and 3rd grades (over 600 participants) and an essay contest for 6th, 7th and 8th grades (over 70 students) as well as the planting of the trees.
On Feb. 20, 8th grade Agricultural Science students from ULMS assisted arborist Steve Smith and Randy Teal with the City of Thomaston with the planting of six trees (Overcup Oaks - quercus lyrata) along Highway 74 in front of the Little League and Municipal baseball fields. ULMS educator, Ashley Spivey worked with the arborist and her middle school students to share tree planting knowledge and skills.
Planting these trees will provide a living legacy to future generations, and Tree Board Chairperson Jody Nelson told the students that when they are grown with children of their own, they can bring them to the site of the planting and show them the trees they planted.
It has been over 135 years since J. Sterling Morton founded Arbor Day. His simple idea of setting aside a special day for tree planting is now more important than ever. Communities across the nation are recognizing the need to replenish trees in their cities and neighborhoods. The Thomaston Tree Board works with the City of Thomaston to help maintain the city’s tree resources throughout the year.
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