Milton Schedules Arbor Day Planting Ceremony

MILTON, GA -- To commemorate Arbor Day in Georgia, the city of Milton will plant a Patti Faye deodar cedar at Broadwell Pavilion.

The city's ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. Feb. 17, and the public is invited to attend the planting, which is part of Milton's overall efforts to retain its Tree City USA designation for the eighth consecutive year.

"The Tree City USA designation is a product of our City Council and citizens' commitments to a greener, healthier community," said Milton's City Arborist Mark Law. "Our annual planting ceremony serves as a great example of how our residents care for their environment."

The cedar, purchased from a tree farm in Hawkinsville, is roughly 24 feet tall and at full maturity will stand about 50 feet tall. It will be planted in the same area where two diseased Broadwell white oaks were removed for safety reasons in late 2016.

Over the last few months, city staff have been busy prepping the planting area including the installation of a small retaining wall.

"Preserving and growing our green canopy plays a key role in retaining Milton's unique look and feel," said Milton Mayor Joe Lockwood. "We're also excited this beautiful cedar and its Broadwell Pavilion location will now serve as the permanent home for Milton's annual Christmas Tree Lighting event."

Arbor Day, created by journalist and nature lover Julius Sterling Morton, celebrates the role of trees in our lives and promotes tree planting and care through annual events across the U.S. and has even been adopted by countries around the world.

Image via Milton Police Department during the city's 2015 Arbor Day Planting