David Smith, Mayor of Ronceverte, proclaimed Apr. 26 to be Arbor Day in the City of Ronceverte.

The Ronceverte Woman’s Club donated a tree that was planted on Edgar Avenue in memory of Doug Hylton, the City’s grant writer, who passed away on Mar. 1, 2019. The City also planted a tree in Doug’s honor. Doug coordinated the Tree City program in Ronceverte for 18 years. His love for Ronceverte was evident by his dedication to beautification efforts. He could often be seen around town planting and trimming trees.

The Tree City USA program has been greening up cities and towns across America since 1976. It is a nationwide movement that provides the framework necessary for communities to manage and expand their public trees. There are currently 15 Tree City communities in West Virginia.

The West Virginia Urban and Community Forestry Council represents community forestry interests from across the state and provides advice to the State Forester concerning the program. The Council works to raise public awareness with a biannual newsletter and promotes higher standards of tree care through training workshops and educational events. Andy Sheetz, the Partnership Coordinator, is available to work with volunteer organizations interested in tree planting and other related projects. He also is active in assisting community tree boards with finding financial support and other resources from various private and public entities for all types of community forestry projects.