The public is invited to the City of Manitowoc’s Arbor Day Celebration, which will take place at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, April 27th, 2018, at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, 75 Maritime Drive. Jeff Edgar from Silver Creek Nurseries will read an excerpt from the book “John Chapman – The Man Who Was Johnny Appleseed” which will be followed by a ceremonial tree planting sponsored by the Izaak Walton League. Grade school students who attend will receive a free tree seedling. After the Arbor Day Celebration, the City’s Municipal Tree Commission will have their quarterly meeting, which members of the public are also welcome to attend.
At the celebration, the 2017 Tree City USA award will be presented to the City of Manitowoc. This is the thirty-fifth year in a row that the City of Manitowoc has been named a Tree City USA community. The award honors the city’s commitment to effective urban forest management. The National Arbor Day Foundation sponsors the Tree City USA program in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters and the USDA Forest Service. To receive this recognition the City of Manitowoc had to meet the four criteria: 1) have an active tree board; 2) have a tree care ordinance; 3) have an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita; and 4) have an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.
Trees provide multiple benefits to a community when properly planted and maintained. They help to improve the visual appeal of a neighborhood, increase property values, reduce home cooling costs, remove air pollutants and provide wildlife habitat, among many other benefits. Anyone interested in planting or removing a tree in the terrace area (the area between the sidewalk and the street) must complete a permit. Go to www.manitowoc.org, click on Departments then Parks and Forestry for more information.
Questions regarding the Arbor Day Celebration or tree permits can also be answered by contacting the City of Manitowoc Parks Division at 920-686-3580 or forestry@manitowoc.org.