The official National Arbor Day celebration is held the third week in April (the first being April 22, 1932). Because of its southern geographical position, Arbor Day in Georgia is celebrated on the third Friday in February. The activities of the CTC are such as to recognize the third week in February as "Arbor Day Week".
Arbor Day is a weeklong celebration in Athens-Clarke County, with a school celebration
mid-week and an end of the week luncheon in honor of the occasion. The school program, held at Alps Elementary in 2006, involved an outside tree planting
activity and a commemorative program featuring Arbor Day and the announcement of the poster and essay contests. The winners
and families attended the Arbor Day luncheon as guests of the CTC where their accomplishments were formally recognized. Beginning
in 1999 at Fowler Drive Elementary School, a seedling from that magnificent white oak, The Tree that Owns Itself, has been
planted at a local elementary school.
Arbor Day Luncheon: In addition to a featured speaker, the Arbor Day luncheon presents: (1) a short report on CTC activities
the previous year, (2) the winners of the school poster and essay contests, and (3) the annual Friend of Trees Award. The
featured speaker in 2006, Prof. Larry Morris, UGA School of Forest Resources, delivered a presentation entitled
"Soils:Conservation or Exploitation" which used ample local examples of the relation between soil health and tree health that is often overlooked.
This year a long-time supporter of trees and the Tree Council, was awarded the Friend of Trees
Award. Athens First Bank and Trust has long supported the work of the Council and this year, in honor of their 75th Anniversary in business, they have planted 75 large trees in the community, primarily on public school property.
Archive:
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