Saratoga Elementary students celebate Arbor Day by planting new trees at Saratoga Lake
Biff Burton of Wyoming Game and Fish (WGFD) tells students the many ways trees are beneficial for the environment.
Saratoga Elementary students Phillip Roach, front, and Jacob Fairbanks dig holes to plant trees during Saratoga's Arbor Day celebration Friday. Students visited Saratoga Lake in honor of the holiday, and planted several trees on the surrounding land area. Those on site were also celebrating the 10th year Saratoga achieved "Tree City USA" status.
In celebration of Arbor Day, Saratoga Elementary School students planted trees with the Saratoga-Encampment-Rawlins Conservation District (SERCD) Wyoming Game and Fish (WGFD) and Wyoming State Forestry Divsion last Friday.
Students and teachers, alongside officials from the SERCD, WGFD, forestry division and town of Saratoga, were also celebrating the 10th year Saratoga achieved "Tree City USA" status. Saratoga Recreation Department Director Lisa Burton helped organize a field trip to Saratoga Lake for both celebrations.
While at the lake, students helped dig holes, plant trees and remove weeds and brush on the surrounding land area. Representatives helped students operate shovels and install small trees for future growth.
Standing in for Saratoga Mayor John Zeiger, town council member Steve Wilcoxson also announced May 30, 2014 as Arbor Day in Saratoga. He was presented with the "Tree City USA Award" by Josh Van Vlack of the Wyoming State Forestry Division.
Arbor Day originated in Nebraska in 1872, but was first celebrated in Wyoming in 1888, while it was still a territory and not yet a state. Planting trees reduces erosion of soil, helps clean the air, produces oxygen and provides habitat for wildlife.
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