Growing Healthy Trees, Deep Roots, and Strong Communities

If you’re out and about around the City of Morris on Friday, April 24th you may notice new trees being planted in parks throughout town–that’s because this Friday is Arbor Day! Arbor Day is a day to celebrate the benefits of trees and all that they do for our environment, physical and mental health, and improving our communities! From cleaning our air and water, to providing habitat and shade, to making our streets, parks, and yards a safe and beautiful place to call home, trees play an important role in our daily life. The Arbor Day Foundation has some great resources about The Value of Trees and Why Communities Need Trees on their website for further information.

This year, the City of Morris is working to become a Tree City USA, which is, “an annual national recognition program designed to raise awareness of the value of community trees, set foundational standards for communities of all sizes, and celebrate community improvement.” The Tree City USA program, which turns 50 this year, opens the door for communities to access tree canopy diversity inventories, care and maintenance plans, and grant funding for future tree plantings.

To mark the occasion, the City is planting four trees in town: an Autumn Blaze Maple and a Skyline Honeylocust at the Tag-A-Long Dog Park and an Autumn Blaze Maple and a Greenspire Littleleaf Linden at Kiwanis Park. We look forward to watching these trees grow and thrive over the years! 

These Arbor Day celebrations go beyond beautification, they’re powerful investments in cleaner air, cooler cities, stronger ecosystems, and more connected communities. We’re honored to see our trees taking root in places that nurture both people and the planet! Thank you to the City of Morris Public Works and Parks & Recreation Departments, iTrees.com, and the Spring Grove Nursery crew for leading the way in this meaningful Arbor Day celebration. Here’s to the trees planted this spring and to the growth, learning, and community they will inspire for generations to come!