Hunterdon County Commissioners celebrate 25th annual Arbor Day Ceremony at Deer Path Park
HUNTERDON COUNTY, NJ – Hunterdon County Deputy Director Susan Soloway and Commissioner Shaun C. Van Doren Friday attended a tree planting ceremony sponsored by the Hunterdon County Shade Tree Commission and the Hunterdon County Parks and Recreation Division.
This event marked the commemoration of the 152nd anniversary of Arbor Day and included the planting of a Swamp White Oak tree at Deer Path Park, near the newly constructed all-inclusive playground.
Van Doren, the Board’s Shade Tree Commission liaison, said, “Celebrating Arbor Day is a regular tradition in Hunterdon County. I greatly appreciate the efforts of all those involved in organizing this year’s event. Protection of open space, farmland, and overall environmental stewardship is of great importance to my colleagues and me.”
Arbor Day was first recognized in 1872 by J. Sterling Morton who proposed to the Nebraska Board of Agriculture that a special day be set aside for the planting of trees. That year, more than one million trees were planted in Nebraska to observe the holiday.
The Shade Tree Commission works with the Hunterdon County Department of Public Works to help maintain and enhance the trees within County Road rights-of-way, as well as providing advice to the Division of Parks and Recreation on trees within parklands. Every year a tree is planted in one of the many county owned facilities or park locations as part of the county’s Annual Arbor Day Event.
The Swamp White Oak that was planted this year, was first introduced in 1800. It provides a rounded shade from dark green deciduous leaves and is known to attract a variety of birds. The Swamp white Oak yields acorns that are oblong and grow in pairs. These trees can live more than 300 years and are a beautiful addition to any landscape.
“What a beautiful day to be in the park, celebrating Arbor Day! Trees provide nesting sites for small animals and birds and their seeds are a bountiful food source for woodland creatures as well. We hope the community enjoys the variety of beautiful trees throughout our county parks and open spaces,” Soloway said.
