Medina will plant 61 trees for Arbor Day

Village named ‘Tree City’ for 9th straight year

Provided photo – Hundreds of Medina school children participate in Medina’s annual Arbor Day celebration. This year’s Arbor Day celebration will be a State Street Park.

Press Release, Medina Tree Board

MEDINA – Arbor Day 2016 will mark the ninth year in a row that the Village of Medina has been awarded the Tree City USA designation by the National Arbor Day Foundation. The award honors Medina’s commitment to community forestry.

Overall, this year Medina will plant 61 trees, mostly along areas of West Center Street with additional plantings on West Avenue, Gwinn Street and State Street Park.

The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters, and the USDA Forest Service. Tree City USA is a national designation.

“We commend Medina’s elected officials, volunteers and its citizens for providing vital care for its urban forest,” said John Rosenow, chief executive and founder of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Trees provide numerous environmental, economical and health benefits to millions of people each day, and we applaud communities that make planting and caring for trees a top priority.”

Medina’s annual Arbor Day Celebration is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Friday, April 29, at State Street Park, corner of State Street and East Center Street in the village. Hundreds of K-2 school children from Oak Orchard School are expected to attend and participate. Mayor Mike Sidari will read the annual Arbor Day Proclamation.

Newly elected, Sidari is looking forward to his first Arbor Day as mayor. A long-time supporter of tree planting in Medina, he is pleased to be part of the annual event.

“J. Sterling Morton founded Arbor Day 144 years ago and during a speech he was quoted ‘This Arbor Day generations will come together to plant trees for future generations to enjoy.'” said Sidari. “I have said previously that we have a great Main Street and now we have to improve our side streets. With the ongoing urban forestry efforts on our side streets, these too will become a show place for generations. I am pleased that the Village of Medina will be taking part in this tradition.”

This year, a large number of the 61 trees being planted were made possible through a generous gift from Candlelight Cabinetry in Lockport and Kitchen World in Williamsville. Several of the trees being planted in State Street Park are representative of the hardwoods used by the company in their cabinet making operations. Those trees include maple, birch and cherry.

Medina resident Robert Sanderson approached Tree Board Chairman Chris Busch with the idea of sponsoring tree plantings. Sanderson is vice president of marketing and a managing partner at Candlelight Cabinetry.

“The Tree Board was absolutely thrilled with Bob’s offer and the generous support from Candlelight and Kitchenworld,” Busch said. “It made perfect sense to have such a great woodworking company sponsor tree plantings. As budgets grow tighter, we were extremely grateful for the support.”