‘One tough tree’ is star of the show at annual Earth/Arbor Day celebration in James City County
The rain held off Saturday as plant lovers gathered at Freedom Park to plant a tree in honor of Earth and Arbor days.
This was the third year that James City County’s Clean County Commission and the Williamsburg Botanical Garden and Freedom Park Arboretum came together to hold a Plant-A-Tree ceremony. This year, attendees planted a hackberry tree in the garden near Hotwater Trail and kicked off the garden and arboretum’s annual plant sale.
The Earth/Arbor Day celebration is meant to honor both Earth Day and Arbor Day, the latter of which is recognized the last Friday in April. In 1872, at the suggestion of J. Sterling Morton, the secretary of the Nebraska Territory, 1 million trees were planted in Nebraska on the first Arbor Day. Nearly 100 years later, 20 million Americans celebrated Earth Day to raise awareness about the effects of industrial development on the environment.
“We come into Earth Day and looking at it from the aspect of planting a tree, that touches my heart in many ways because without them, we’re no longer a civilization. We’re no longer a species,” said Harry Fahl, a volunteer and board member of the garden and arboretum group.
The hackberry, a member of the hemp family, is a resilient shade tree that can reach up to 80 feet tall. The tree is known for its serrated leaves, distinctive warts and lines on its bark. The tree produces dark reddish-black fruits that are described as sweet and nutritious.
The Arbor Day Foundation says the hackberry is commonly heralded by tree experts as “one tough tree.”
At last year’s Plant-A-Tree ceremony at the botanical garden, volunteers planted an American chestnut tree, and a black gum tree in 2021. The garden is located in the middle of Freedom Park, which is off Centerville Road.
At Saturday’s event, the Clean County Commission gave out sustainable products, such as reusable bags and straws, chip clips and basil plants.
The commission, made up of volunteers appointed by the James City County Board of Supervisors, was established in 1979 and strives to take care of the earth. In a continued effort to be good stewards, commission chair Peg Boarman said the group encourages planting and caring for trees.
Efforts also include litter pickup, beautification and recycling. The group recently organized volunteer groups for its spring cleanup of various James City County roads and highways.
Several garden volunteers and members of the group’s board of directors also attended the ceremony.
“I’m celebrating Earth Day because I’m just so grateful and overwhelmed by the wonders of our diverse natural world, and want to be, at least, a cog in the effort to protect it,” board member Donna Ware said.
Ware, who is also a curator for the herbarium at William & Mary, volunteers to weed and tend the garden every week. Fahl prunes and maintains the physical framework of the garden. Over the last few years, Fahl has assembled a crew of volunteers to care for the grounds. They have built mulch storage, a nursery and other structures for the garden.
Fahl said he hopes Earth Day opens everybody’s eyes to the importance of maintaining Mother Earth.
For him, it is about what the trees “offer us in return for our care.”
The Earth/Arbor Day celebration also marked the launch of the annual Plants with a Purpose plant sale. Visitors may purchase plants whenever the garden is open and pay by leaving money in the honor box. The plant sale will run through Memorial Day weekend, May 27-29.
Plant payments may be made by cash, check or online at bit.ly/honorpay. To get email updates when new plants are available, visit bit.ly/honorbox.
Evelyn Davidson, evelyn.davidson@virginiamedia.com
