Liverpool NY 2nd Annual Arbor Day Celebration

Thank you to the Village of Liverpool and Deputy Mayor Christina Fadden (Fitch) for forwarding this terrific account and photos of their 2019 celebration, funded by a NYSUFC grant. Fadden says, “The grant funds were a great encouragement, and we also now stand on the cusp of finally being designated a Tree City USA. Thank you to the NYS Urban Forestry Council for your support of our efforts and program.”

On Friday May 3^rd, 2019, the Village of Liverpool celebrated its 2^nd Annual Arbor Day Celebration at Liverpool Elementary School. At 9:00 a.m., an assembly of approximately 280 students, teachers and staff gathered in the school cafeteria. Village of Liverpool Tree Advisory Committee members Lisa Ballantyne, Yvette Hewitt, Diane Recor and Adam Woodburn joined Mayor of the Village of Liverpool Gary White, DEC Senior Forester Matthew Swayze, and Officer Sean Pierce in attendance.

The 4^th grade Student Council performed humorous and educational Arbor Day themed skits for the school assembly. Students welcomed the members of the Tree Advisory Committee and introduced the Mayor. Mayor White stood at the podium and read aloud the Arbor Day Proclamation to the crowd. Students were given small tokens in honor of Arbor Day such as tree themed pencils, “Plant Trees for America” pamphlets, and rubber bracelets stamped with “Plant Trees.”

This year, as the year before, our Arbor Day planting tree was dedicated to the graduating 6^th grade class. After the Assembly, 40 sixth graders, accompanied by their teachers and the school principal, were escorted by the village tree committee and Officer Pierce outside to approximately one block from school property to the designated planting site.

Liverpool Tree Committee Member, landscape architect, and ISA Certified Arborist Adam Woodburn welcomed the students to the site and introduced them to their tree. This year, a red bud (Cercis canadensis) about 1.5″caliper from Aspinall’s Nursery in Chittenango was planted on the corner of 4^th Street and Outlook. Since the site was cleared by 811 Dig Safe, the Village of Liverpool DPW dug the hole and had already delivered the tree to the site. As Adam Woodburn held the tree in position, explaining how best to plant a tree, students each participated by shoveling soil back into the hole.

A plaque set in the ground marked the planting in celebration of Arbor Day in honor of the 6th grade class. As the drizzle turned into a heavy rain, the students filed back into the school and the event concluded at 10:30 a.m.

Since the planting, the new Arbor Day tree blossomed beautifully in spring. Adjacent residents agreed to be “tree stewards” for the new tree, keeping it watered well especially through the summer months. The tree continues to become established.  The Village of Liverpool and its Tree Committee are looking forward to future Arbor Day events in conjunction with Liverpool Elementary School and beautifying our Village with trees.