April 17, 2017
Contact: Dana Mancuso Mike Brunk
Public Information Manager, Urbana Park District Urbana City Arborist
255-8601 384-2393
dlmancuso@urbanaparks.org mjbrunk@urbanaillinois.us
Urbana students to learn more of the significance of trees at Arbor Day celebration
Students from Gerber School will join the City of Urbana and Urbana Park District at an Arbor Day celebration at 10 a.m. on Friday, April 28. This year’s event takes place at the Anita Purves Nature Center.
After welcoming remarks from the Urbana Park District and an Arbor Day proclamation from Urbana Mayor Laurel Prussing, the students will hear from Urbana City Arborist Mike Brunk, who will talk about the importance of trees and the history of Arbor Day.
- Station 1 - Tree Planting and Wood Chipping
- Station 2 - Tree Rings as History Markers
- Station 3 - Emerald Ash Borer Display
“The City of Urbana is providing an American Hornbeam and a Pagoda Dogwood, and a donor family gave an Ohio Buckeye as part of the Arbor Day celebration,” said Rich McMahon, Urbana Park District Grounds Maintenance Supervisor.
After the tree stations, the students will have time to play in and explore the new Friendship Grove Nature Playscape. The playscape has a large tree reclaimed from an Urbana park that kids can use in active imaginative play.
Urbana is celebrating its 42nd year as a Tree City USA community. Tree City USA is sponsored by The National Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters. It provides direction, technical assistance, public attention, and national recognition for urban and community forestry programs in thousands of towns and cities in the U.S. and worldwide.
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