Cara Bradley got her seedling from Courtney Emerson last year. This year Oxford’s Arbor Day will be on Saturday, April 25, from 9-10 a.m., rain or shine. Be there for the 33rd Tree City USA ceremony and Arbor Day seedling give-away. 
(Photos by Jeanie Petersen)

OXFORD – The Oxford Village Tree Board will be holding its thirty-third “Tree City USA” – and Arbor Day Celebration on Saturday, April 25, starting at 9 a.m., at the LaFayette Park bandstand. Plans (rain or shine) include a proclamation, Tree City USA flag and plaque presentation, and a giveaway of seedling trees and shrubs.

The Oxford Village Tree Board encourages families and individuals to have a planting celebration of their own on Arbor Day; and this year’s choices will make your selection harder than usual.

The very first Arbor Day was founded 150 years ago by J. Morton Sterling. On the centennial of the first Arbor Day observance, in 1972, the National Arbor Day Foundation was created.

Since then, they have become the largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees, making an impact through conservation and education programs.

The National Arbor Day Foundation has named Oxford Village a “Tree City USA", for the thirty-third year in a row. One of the standards for that designation is that the community must have a tree board, which the village has. The Oxford Village Tree Board members are Courtney Emerson, Gray Stevens, Jeanie Petersen, Sandy Dain, David Branham, and John Godfrey, emeritus.

Special recognition and thanks to Cole Pecka, an active high school volunteer. Accepting the Tree City USA flag and award from the DEC Forester, Brian Burlew, will be the honorable Village of Oxford Mayor Terry M. Stark.

Another standard that thefoundation requires is observing an Arbor Day event. The Village Tree Board enjoys coordinating this ceremony with a North American native seedling tree giveaway. There will be a hardy evergreen conifer, the Balsam Fir, noted for its sweet balsam scent (needles often used in sachet pillows). There will be two trees with wildlife attracting nectar: the fast-growing Tulip Poplar tree and the white dogwood tree. While both have fragrant spring “blooms” (actually petal-like leaves), the Tulip tree needs sunlight and will grow to be very tall (100’ or more). In contrast, the dogwood likes some sun with afternoon shade and will be small (15–30 ft); with berries in the fall. The Board has also opted for a couple of colorful, flowering deciduous shrubs: the Lilac, and the Eastern Red Bud (a small tree) as part of the giveaway. The seedlings will be wrapped in moist newspaper. All you will need to do is pick an appropriate spot and dig a hole. Don’t be late though, rain or shine, quite often the seedlings are gone in minutes.

The Oxford Village Tree Board and National Arbor Day Foundation encourage you to “plant, nurture and celebrate trees!” Visit http://treeboard.oxfordny.com/ to learn more about the Village of Oxford Tree Board. Contact the Tree Board through the Village Hall at: (607) 843-2512 or email:vgoxford@stny.rr.com