May 24, 2024 |
Photo - Arbor Day tree sale announcement - Courtesy City of Rawlins
The City of Rawlins is holding its annual Arbor Day tree sale next week.
The first Arbor Day was held on April 10, 1872, in Nebraska City, Nebraska. Within 20 years, Arbor Day was celebrated in every state except Delaware. On April 28, 1972, almost 100 years to the day of the first celebration, President Richard Nixon designated Arbor Day as a national holiday.
Arbor Day is celebrated by planting trees. Here in Carbon County, April 28th is typically too cold for tree planting, so the City of Rawlins has chosen to celebrate the holiday later in the season.
Rawlins Mayor Terry Weickum designated May 31st as Arbor Day.
On May 30th and 31st, the city will hold an Arbor Day tree sale in the Rawlins Family Recreation Center. Recreation Director Nikki Howell said she has toned back this year’s celebration. Last year, the city partnered with University of Wyoming Extension to offer horticulture classes and build a geodesic dome. This year, Howell said she will simply be selling trees.
The tree sale runs from 8:00am to 5:00pm next Thursday and Friday. Howell said she’s willing to extend the sale beyond the set times to ensure everyone can buy a tree.
Howell said people who visit the rec center will be entered into a raffle for the most expensive tree the city has to offer. The rec director said she doesn’t know what the raffle tree will be yet.
Howell said 106 deciduous, evergreen, and fruit trees will be available to purchase during next week’s tree sale. The rec director said the plants have been specifically chosen because they grow well in our climate.
Howell has a plan for unsold trees. The rec director said remaining fruit trees will be planted in the city’s urban orchard near Key Club Park. Non-fruiting trees will be placed in the Rawlins Cemetery.
An Arbor Day celebration is a requirement for the City of Rawlins to maintain its Tree City USA status through the Arbor Day Foundation. Howell explained what being recognized as a Tree City USA means.
Rawlins has been a Tree City USA for the past 29 years straight.
The Rawlins annual Arbor Day tree sale is next Thursday and Friday, May 30th and 31st, from 8:00am to 5:00pm at the Rawlins Family Recreation Center, located at 1616 Harshman Street.
For more information about the tree sale, contact Rawlins Parks Superintendent Nate Williams at 324-7529 or email nwilliams@rawlinswy.gov.
