Dalton Celebrates Georgia Arbor Day With Tree Planting
Friday, February 16th, 2024
The groundhog predicted an early spring two weeks ago and Friday there was a hint of spring in the air as Dalton leaders celebrated Georgia's Arbor Day at Civitan Park. The annual observance included the traditional planting of a tree. This year, the tree was planted in honor of the late Pete Purvis, a longtime member of Dalton's Tree Board.
Mayor Annalee Sams presented a proclamation declaring February 16th as Georgia Arbor Day in Dalton. The mayor also picked up a shovel and helped to plant the tree on the grounds of Civitan Park with the assistance of Mr. Purvis' wife Melva and daughter Kim. As has become a tradition at the annual Georgia Arbor Day celebration, Mrs. Purvis also read a poem to mark the occasion.
Caption: Mayor Annalee Sams (left) helps to plant a tree in Civitan Park with Mrs. Melva Purvis and Kim Purvis
As part of the ceremony, Dalton was honored with the designation of "Tree City USA" for the 34th straight year. Dalton is among the oldest continuous recipients of the honor not just in Georgia, but also the United States. Dalton achieved the Tree City USA designation by meeting the program’s four requirements: forming a tree board, creating a tree care ordinance for the city, having an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita, and an annual Arbor Day observance and proclamation. The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in partnership with the US Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters.
Dr. Chris Stearns, the chairman of Dalton's Tree Board, led the festivities with a welcome and words about the significance of the event. While the national Arbor Day celebration is held annually on the last Friday in April, Georgia's Arbor Day celebration is held in February because it's a more ideal time for tree planting in the state. The weather certainly cooperated with the event on Friday, and City leaders are looking forward to watching the trees planted today growing for years to come.
Below: More scenes from Friday's celebration. Dr. Stearns welcomes guests to the ceremony, Mrs. Pervis reads a poem to the gathering, and Mayor Sams reads the Georgia Arbor Day proclamation
