Arbor Day 2008 Program
Friday April 25, 2008
The Rutherford Shade Tree Committee would like to thank everyone for their help and involvement in making the borough-wide Arbor Day activities a tremendous success. Mayor John Hipp, the Borough Council, Rutherford Board of Education, teachers and students, our Department of Public Works, the Aesthetic Review Board, The South Bergenite & The Leader, and many others contributed their support in a variety of ways.
Mike Schmeding from our DPW led the RSTC and a group of volunteers including many school children in the establishing Rutherford's new tree nursery on a section of Memorial Field. 175 tree saplings were planted, triple the estimated amount! In a few years these trees will grow large and can be planted on our borough streets, at no cost to our taxpayers. We will add to this nursery every year to insure a continuing supply of new trees for the Borough of Trees. The young trees were provided to us through Tree City USA.
More than 200 beautiful entries were received for the Discover Our Trees 2008 Art Contest. The winners were announced last Tuesday at the Council Meeting and Mayor Hipp personally presented each of the winners with a Mayoral Proclamation making them Junior Members of the RSTC. We hope that these students will join us in helping to insure that Rutherford’s trees are here for succeeding generations. All of the artwork is being made into a book which will be on permanent display in the Rutherford library. The winning artwork will also be on display in Borough Hall.
Mayor Hipp proudly read a proclamation naming Rutherford as a member of Tree City USA. This designation allows the "Borough of Trees" to qualify for various grants for tree maintenance and replanting.
Many thanks to Boiling Springs Savings Bank and the Board of Education for contributing funds to plant trees at the elementary schools and a big thank you to Lincoln School PTA Arbor Day Committee head Katarina Rodriquez for preparing all the tree-seedlings that were distributed to classes in Lincoln & Washington schools. Also to Ms. Hecking at Pierrepont School for her tremendous support.
Residents should also know that a Tree Fund has been established for residents wishing to help plant more trees in town. Anyone interested in helping out can contact Borough Hall or the RSTC at rutherfordtrees@aol.com
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