Sandersville Mayor Jimmy Andrews proclaimed Friday, February 19 as Arbor Day in the City of Sandersville.
To celebrate the occasion, the Sandersville Tree Board planted several evergreen trees along the fence line at Brownwood Cemetery on West Church Street in Sandersville.
“The goal is to make the cemetery more of a park, and less of a dreary place to be,” explained outgoing Sandersville Tree Board President Mary Charles Howard.
For the City of Sandersville, 2021 marks the City’s 29th year as a Tree City USA community. According to the Arbor Day Foundation’s latest data, there are 155 Tree City USA communities in Georgia.
“And we’re one of the oldest Tree Cities in the state,” said outgoing Tree Board President Howard, who thanked past Tree Board members who paved the way in the City of Sandersville. She continued, “Really great people came before us, and they started this off.”
To have the distinction as a Tree City USA community, four standards must be met. The standards include having the following: a Tree Board or Department, a Tree Care Ordinance, a Community Forestry Program with an Annual Budget of at least $2 per capita, and an Arbor Day observance or proclamation.
The first Georgia Arbor Day was proclaimed by the Georgia General Assembly in December, 1890. In 1941, the General Assembly set the third Friday in February as the day of Georgia’s Arbor Day.
National Arbor Day is celebrated on the third Friday in April; however, it is too warm at that time of year to plant trees in Georgia.
“Since it’s a great planting season now, we celebrate Arbor Day in February,” said outgoing Tree Board President Howard.
In Georgia, trees should be planted between November and mid-March so they will have a better chance of becoming established before the onset of summer heat.
During the Sandersville Arbor Day celebration, Mayor Jimmy Andrews urged citizens to support efforts to protect trees and woodlands.
“Trees in our city increase property values, enhance the economic vitality of business areas, and beautify our community,” said Mayor Andrews during the Arbor Day celebration.
