Arbor Day ceremony at Mt. Prospect's Forest View school

The village of Mount Prospect Public Works Department will host an Arbor Day Tree Planting Ceremony at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, April 29. The ceremony will be held at Forest View Elementary School, 1901 Estates Drive, in Mount Prospect. The tree will be planted in the parkway near the intersection of Deborah and Estates Drive. The public is invited to attend the ceremony.

During the Ceremony, Mayor Arlene Juracek, various village officials, students and staff from Forest View will plant an Exclamation London Planetree in the parkway. The students will perform songs and poems to commemorate the occasion. Members of the Garden Club of Mount Prospect will once again help out with the planting and graciously contributed funds to help the village purchase the Arbor Day tree. Additionally, Public Works mascot P.W. Paws will make a special appearance.

The village will also commemorate its recent receipt of the Tree City USA Award from the Arbor Day Foundation in Nebraska. This is the 31st consecutive year Mount Prospect has received the award for the village's Urban Forestry Program.

"For more than 30 years we have been recognized by the Arbor Day Foundation for our urban forestry efforts. Arbor Day is a wonderful day for our village to show our pride in the living legacy of our trees," Juracek said.

"Planting a tree is a great way to celebrate Arbor Day," said Dave Hull, superintendent of Mount Prospect Forestry/Grounds. He noted that trees provide people with many benefits. "In addition to their aesthetic qualities, they have the ability to absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, provide food, medicines and shade, filter pollution, slow stormwater runoff, reduce energy costs, and much more."

"I hope our citizens will join us this year in planting trees throughout the community to help perpetuate Mount Prospect's urban forest," said Hull. "To help with this effort, we'll be happy to send upon request the latest information about diversified tree species that are appropriate for planting in our area. Interested citizens should contact Public Works at (847) 870-5640."

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