EAST BRUNSWICK – To commemorate being named a “Tree City USA,” East Brunswick will hold a special observance of Arbor Day next month.
Steve Gottleib of the East Brunswick Environmental Commission will present the Tree City U.S.A. flag and other recognition materials to Mayor Brad Cohen at 1:30 p.m. May 5 at Warnsdorfer Elementary School on Hardenburg Lane in honor of the town’s 39th recognition by the National Arbor Day Foundation.
“A community’s tree planning program is a living memorial to the citizens’ concern for the quality of life. The trees we plant and care for today will cool our cities, fight pollution, conserve energy and give wildlife a home for years to come,” said John Rosenow, the National Arbor Day Foundation’s executive director.
Communities entering the nationwide program receive the designation upon recommendation by state foresters, who co-sponsor the program, according to a statement prepared by Michael Reissner, director of Recreation & Parks for East Brunswick. Communities qualify if they establish a city tree ordinance, a legal tree governing body, a comprehensive urban forestry program and an observance of Arbor Day.
Students and faculty at Warnsdorfer will provide entertainment involving a variety of songs and poems. Five hundred seedlings will be distributed, courtesy of Super Stop & Shop of East Brunswick, along with planting instructions. A poster contest with a chosen winner from each grade will take place. The East Brunswick Woman’s Club will donate a white oak tree to be planted at the school.
“An effective community forestry program is an ongoing process of renewal and improvement—a program of tree planning and care that continues through the years,” Rosenow said. “The Tree City U.S.A. award is an excellent indication that there is a solid foundation for that process of improvement.”