Mayor Leclerc Celebrates Arbor Day with Tree Planting, Ceremony at Anna E. Norris School
Mayor Marcia A. Leclerc joined students at Anna E. Norris Elementary School for an Arbor Day Celebration this morning. Mayor Leclerc officially proclaimed Arbor Day, and kicked off a program of speaking and performances by the students, culminating in a tree planting ceremony. Officials from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection presented East Hartford with a special 20th Anniversary Tree City Flag, which the Norris School students will fly proudly from their flagpole. It is the Town’s 20th year receiving this prestigious recognition.
“Arbor Day is very important to our town,” said Mayor Marcia A. Leclerc. “It is a great opportunity to recognize our commitment to the environment and to making our town a beautiful and healthy place to live and work, and to teach children about the importance of trees and forests. I am very proud that our town is a Tree City USA, and proud of the dedicated residents and town staff who make this possible.”
“This is East Hartford’s 20th year as a Tree City USA and I am so proud that we are one of the few towns in the state with that designation,” said Pat Sirois, Chair of the East Hartford Beautification Commission, the organizers of the event. “We really enjoy celebrating Arbor Day each year with the children and the schools.”
Arbor Day was first celebrated in the US in Nebraska in 1872. Each year, around the world, people plant millions of trees and recognize the importance of trees and leafy shrubs to clean air, good health, and wholesome communities.
East Hartford earned its Tree City USA designation by having an official tree board (the Beautification Commission), a tree-care ordinance, and dedicating a budget of at least $2 dollars per capita to community forestry. Our town is dedicated to providing a safe, healthy and attractive community for our residents, workers, and guests by fostering and protecting our trees and urban forests.