‘Tree City USA’ celebrates Arbor Day at Lee Lake ceremony

An Arbor Day ceremony — complete with tree planting and hotdog grilling — was held Saturday at Lee Lake, located on Adams Boulevard near Silver Lake Road.

The ceremony was held in conjunction with Earth Day (April 22) and the “Beautify Bartlesville” project at Lee Lake, which included a work day to install picnic tables and benches at the new City-owned fishing lake.

“We had a great turn-out for the Arbor Day celebration on Saturday,” said Parks Superintendent Bobby Robinson.

Arbor Day is one day each year that is set aside to recognize the importance of preserving and promoting the continued good health of the earth’s trees.

“The City of Bartlesville has a long history of excellence in this area, and our annual Arbor Day ceremony is an effort to continue educating citizens about how important they are,” Robinson said.

The Bartlesville City Council recently recognized Arbor Day by proclamation, stating the holiday began in 1872 when J. Sterling Morton proposed to the Nebraska Board of Agriculture that a special day be set aside for the planting of tree. Arbor Day was first observed with the planting of more than a million trees in Nebraska.

“Trees can reduce the erosion of our precious topsoil by wind and water, cut heating and cooling costs, moderate the temperature, clean the air, produce oxygen, and provide habitat for wildlife,” the proclamation states. “Trees in our city increase property values, enhance the economic vitality of business areas and beautify our community.”

The City of Bartlesville has been recognized as a “Tree City USA” by the National Arbor Day Foundation for 33 consecutive years.