Arbor Day Celebration at Andrew Johnson Elementary School
The City of Kingsport plans to celebrate the 150th birthday of Arbor Day on March 4.
An event will take place at noon that day at Andrew Johnson Elementary School with city officials issuing a proclamation declaring Kingsport’s 36th Arbor Day celebration. The ceremony will be held in front of the school near the main entrance off Ormond Drive.
“Our trees and forests are part of what makes Kingsport such a great place to live,” said Landscaping and Ground Maintenance Manager Tamra Rossi. “We strive to be a leader in proper management of our trees and I think it shows every year.”
In honor of the city’s commitment to effective urban forestry management, the National Arbor Day Foundation will recognize Kingsport as a Tree City USA for the thirty-sixth year in a row.
A community must meet four standards to receive this national designation and the Tree City USA flag. It must have a tree advisory board or department, a tree care ordinance, a comprehensive community forestry program and an annual Arbor Day celebration. The National Association of State Foresters, USDA Forest Service and the Tennessee Division of Forestry also sponsor the Tree City USA program.
Kingsport’s Streets and Sanitation Department maintains over 12,000 trees and over 15 acres of landscaping in the city. The department also removes damaged or deceased trees on public lands, while providing annual upkeep of 21 park facilities and 827 acres of green space.
This department also maintains a Level II Arboretum Certification at Borden Park, sponsored by Domtar and Keep Kingsport Beautiful. The Tennessee Urban Forestry Council and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture coordinate the arboretum certification program, which encourages public education of the importance of the different species of trees. Level II requirements include labeling over 60 tree species, keeping a map available to the public that shows the locations of the tree species and exemplifying proper tree management practices.
Kingsport’s Arbor Day celebration is a partnership of Domtar, City of Kingsport, Kingsport Tree Advisory Board and Keep Kingsport Beautiful.
