In honor of Arbor Day, the City of Lewisburg’s public works crews planted a Purple Leaf Plum tree along side the shelter at Dorie Miller Park where it will grow up to 20 feet in height, providing shade and add to the park’s arborial species. Shown at left are Mayor John Manchester, John Preston, who serves on Lewisburg’s Tree Board, Andy Sheetz, partnership coordinator with the Division of Forestry’s Urban Forestry Program, Public Works Director Roger Pence, City Council member and Chair of the Parks Commission Beverly White and fellow Parks Commission member Janice Cooley.
Communities all over the country celebrate Arbor Day by planting trees. Arbor Day first began in 1872 in the Nebraska territory. Julius Morton, a journalist and naturalist, encouraged the planting of trees by offering rewards to whoever could plant the most trees.
The result: over a million trees were planted on that day in Nebraska. Today, we commemorate the work of Morton by planting trees in communities throughout the state. Nationally, Arbor Day is celebrated on Apr. 26.