Oneonta celebrated Arbor Day by planting a red maple tree in front of Valleyview Elementary School Friday morning.
Students in select kindergarten through second grade classes sat in the grass in front of the school and listened as Acting Mayor Scott Harrington declared April 25 as Arbor Day in the city of Oneonta and encouraged them to remember where they come from.
“This will be your tree,” he said. “Come back and visit it often and remember your roots, just like the roots of the tree will be its strong foundation.”
Oneonta’s arborist Stephen Novellano said the tree planted in front of the school is expected to live between 80 and 100 years. He said red maple trees are easy to grow as they like all types of soil.
Novellano picked 10 students to help plant the tree. Each student used a shovel to pick up dirt and place it around the root ball of the tree.
Oneonta has been recognized as a Tree City USA by the National Arbor Day Foundation for 39 years and a tree is planted each Arbor Day. The city recently purchased two signs and three more are on backorder proclaiming the city as a “Tree City USA,” Sarah Plymell, community development assistant said. The sign can be modified each year with a new number sticker noting how many years the city has had the designation.
The signs will be installed at each of the five entrances into the city, Chris Yacobucci, director of public works, said. The one on James Lettis Highway won’t be installed until after the roundabout is completed.
Harrington said the Arbor Day was proposed by J. Sterling Morton to the Nebraska Board of Agriculture in 1872, and more than 1 million trees were planted on the first Arbor Day. The day is observed throughout the world on the last Friday of April.
He said planting trees is important because they “can reduce the erosion of our precious top-soil by wind and water, cut heating and cooling costs, moderate the temperature, clean the air, produce oxygen and provide habitat for wildlife.” Trees are a renewable resource and provide pulp for paper, fuel for fires and wood for building materials, furniture and several other finished products.
Harrington encouraged city residents to plant trees in their yards because “trees in our city increase property value, enhance the economic vitality of business areas, and beautify our community.” They are also “a source of joy and spiritual renewal. I urge all citizens to plant trees to gladden the hearts and promote the well-being of present and future generations.”