Saratoga Elementary students dig Arbor Day

In honor of Arbor Day’s 125th anniversary in Wyoming, Saratoga Elementary School students planted trees with the help of the Saratoga-Encampment-Rawlins Conservation District (SERCD) Thursday.

Kindergarten through second grade students helped dig holes and plant trees in front of the Saratoga Municipal Swimming Pool, while third through sixth grade students dug and planted a block south of that area. SERCD officials helped students operate shovels and plant the miniatures trees for future growth.

Arbor Day originated in Nebraska in 1872, but was first celebrated in Wyoming in 1888, while the area was still a territory and not yet a state. Wyoming law establishes the last Monday in April as its official Arbor Day, and on that day, according to the statute, a tree shall be planted on state grounds in a simple ceremony.

Saratoga in particular has also been named a “Tree City USA” by the Arbor Day Foundation in honor of its commitment to effective urban forest management, marking the ninth year the town has earned the national designation. Saratoga achieved Tree City USA recognition by meeting the program’s four requirements; a tree board or department, a tree-care ordinance, an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation. The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation, in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters.

“Everyone benefits when elected officials, volunteers and committed citizens in communities like Saratoga make smart investments in urban forests,” said John Rosenow, founder and chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Trees bring shade to our homes and beauty to our neighborhoods, along with numerous economic, social and environmental benefits.”

Cleaner air, improved storm water management, energy savings and increased property values and commercial activity are among the benefits enjoyed by Tree City USA communities.