By David Kilby, Staff Writer
CRANBURY — The Arbor Day Foundation has named Cranbury a Tree City USA community for the 23rd year in honor of the town’s commitment to community forestry.
A celebration of Arbor Day will take place at 2 p.m. April 29 at the Cranbury School.
Kathy Easton, member of the Cranbury Shade Tree Commission, will open the celebration, and then Mayor Winthrop Cody will give and Arbor Day Proclamation. A special presentation will then be given by Cranbury School’s second grade class. Some trees will then be planted by Mayor Cody, the Shade Tree Commission and the Public Works Department. The celebration will close with seedling distribution by the Shade Tree Commission.
The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters and the USDA Forest Service, states a press release announcing Cranbury as a Tree City.
The Arbor Foundation is a nonprofit conservation and education foundation.
Founded in 1972, the centennial of the first Arbor Day observance, the Foundation has grown to become the largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees, with over one million members, supporters, and valued partners, states the foundation’s website, www.arborday.org.
Cranbury has met the four standards to become a Tree City USA community: having a tree board or department, a tree care ordinance, a comprehensive community forestry program, and an Arbor Day observance, states the press release.
”A community, its elected officials and its citizens that provided needed care for trees deserves recognition and thanks,” said John Rosenow, Chief Executive of the Arbor Day Foundation.
”Cities that are recognized with a Tree City USA designation go to great lengths to plant and care for the community forest.”

