New Philadelphia celebrates Arbor Day with tree planting at Southside Community Park
NEW PHILADELPHIA (WJER) (April 28, 2023) – The city of New Philadelphia is showcasing its dedication to urban forestry management.
City officials held an Arbor Day ceremony Friday with the planting of a maple tree inside the dog park at Southside Community Park. Mayor Joel Day says this is something they observe, rain or shine, in a different location of town for the day each year.
“It’s always a great event,” said Day. “We’re very proud of the tree canopy that we have over New Philadelphia,” he said, “Arbor Day is just an opportunity for us to celebrate that.”
Day says the city takes the ecology of trees seriously and recognizes that the tree canopy provides multiple benefits.
“That just enhances the overall look of the community, it helps our environment, provides much needed shade, and just a good aesthetic for the city,” said Day.
Day also read a proclamation encouraging residents to participate.
“Plant a tree if you have the room and ambition to do that,” Day said. “It will help beautify your property, add value to your property, and also just help our environment here in New Philadelphia,” he said, “trees provide us with clean air.”
“It’s just the right thing to do,” he added.
New Philadelphia’s commitment has earned it the designation of Tree City USA for over 35 years now. The first Arbor Day celebration was in Nebraska on April 10th, 1872. It’s now held in most states in the U.S. on the last Friday of April.
Mayor Joel Day and other New Philadelphia city officials plant a maple tree at Southside Community Park for Arbor Day 2023