Superior celebrated Arbor Day on Saturday April 22 at Purple Park .
This year’s celebration included:
- several speakers
- face painting by Lester the panda bear
- announcement of poster contest winners
- Tree City USA award presentation
- ceremonial planting of three purple flowering crab trees
- Giveaways:
- 100 Blue Spruce Saplings
- items from Whole Foods
- Super Joe Specialty Coffee
- T-shirts with the winning poster design
Tree Talk with Matt Schovel
Matt Schovel of Swingle Tree and Lawn Care gave a talk about trees. He then fielded several questions from residents. His answers conveyed the following bits of tree wisdom:
- In our climate it is appropriate to water trees approximately once a month. He strongly recommended the use of a deep root watering tool (a tool that attaches to your garden hose and allows you to inject water several inches below the surface). He explained that most of the absorptive roots of a tree are located between the tree’s drip line and approximately 1/3 again the radius of the drip line.
- If pests (residents asked about both dogs and squirrels) girdle, or remove the bark around the circumference of the trunk or branch, the then the tree will die above that point. Such a removal of bark cripples the tree’s circulatory system.
Lester the face painting Panda Bear
For those children not interested in Mr. Schovel’s tree talk, Lester the Panda Bear was painting little panda bear faces on childrens’ hands and faces.
Tree City USA Award Presentation
State Forester Keith Wood gave a talk that culminated in the Tree City USA Award presentation. Mr. Wood said that Arbor Day was first celebrated in Nebraska in 1874. The national Arbor Day is the last Friday in April. Different states celebrate Arbor Day on different dates; Colorado celebrates arbor day on the third Friday in April. He explained the four requirements a community must meet to earn the Tree City USA designation:
- A tree board or department. In Superior, the Planning Commission (or mabye the Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and Trails Committee … I forget) fills this role.
- A tree care ordinance.
- Community forestry program with an annual budget of at least $2 per resident. Mr Wood commented that Superior’s budget of about $75,000 works out to around $5 or $6 per resident
- An Arbor Day observance or proclamation
“What does Arbor Day mean to you?” Poster Finalists
In association with this year’s Arbor Day celebration in Superior, there was a poster contest in which local students addressed the question “What does Arbor Day mean to you?” The nine finalists were announced; each received a $10 gift certificate to Wild Oats. Their posters will be on display at town hall.
Superior Arbor Day 2006 Poster Winner Austin Beswick
Milissa Miller announces that Austin Beswick won the poster design contest. T-shirts with Austin’s design were given away to the Arbor Day celebrants.
Superior Arbor Day 2006 Tree Plantings
The celebration wrapped up with the planting of three new purple flowering crab trees. Mayor Andrew Muckle, Trustee Lisa Skumatz, and poster contest winner Austin Beswick had the honor of putting the finishing touches on the tree planting work.