HomeMy Public PortalAboutTOL NR 2019-04-26 Arbor Day Tree Planting
Town of Leesburg
News Release
For Immediate Release
April 26, 2019
Media Contact:
Leah Kosin, Public Information Assistant
lkosin@leesburgva.gov 703-771-2781
Leesburg Tree Commission Celebrates Arbor Day with Tree
Planting at Evergreen Mill Elementary School
Leesburg, VA (April 26, 2019) – In celebration
of Arbor Day, the Town of Leesburg’s Tree
Commission, along with Mayor Kelly Burk and
Supervisor Kristen Umstattd, joined 85 fourth
graders on Friday morning at Evergreen Mills
Elementary School to plant a Kousa Dogwood
(Japanese Dogwood; Cornus Kousa).
During the process, students learned about
the importance of trees and their multiple
benefits to the community when properly
planted and maintained. Each student
received a tree to take home prior to spreading mulch over their new Kousa Dogwood (which is
a close cousin to the State Tree of Virginia, the Flower Dogwood).
Newly hired Town of Leesburg Urban Forester and Landscape Specialist Tyler Wright was on-
hand to help the students ‘root’ for their newest addition to the school.
“Trees play a vital role in our community; as most citizens see them as aesthetically pleasing,
trees are doing much more behind the scenes by cleaning our air and water, capturing storm
water to mitigate flooding, shading our streets and sidewalks, and increasing overall community
value” Wright said. “By proclaiming Arbor Day, appointing a Tree Commission, and using Town
funds to plant and maintain trees, we are designated as a Tree City USA which allows us show
our residents and tourists how committed we are to the canopy in Leesburg. Trees are
generational and we plant trees so the next generation can use them.”
The Town has been recognized as Tree City USA since 1989, for its commitment to effective
urban forest management.
The Leesburg Tree Commission provides leadership to enhance, expand, and preserve the tree
canopy in the Town of Leesburg for the benefit of the community. The Commission is dedicated
to promoting tree preservation and planting within the Town limits, providing a healthy and
diverse tree canopy, and ensuring a superior quality of life for all Town residents through the
use of ecosystem service benefits which trees provide. Trees act as our "Green Civil Servants"
and are seen as a necessity instead of a nicety.
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