Elburn qualified as Tree City USA

The village of Elburn has again been qualified as a 2009 Tree City USA.

Thanks to the support of the village trustees and the work of the village tree board, this is the 11th consecutive year that this honor has been bestowed on the village.

The Tree City USA program is a nationally sponsored certification program created and managed by the Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters and the USDA Forest Service.

The village is committed to preserving the quality of life and the welcoming vistas along our neighborhood streets that are only made possible by the many stately trees that line them. The community is also very supportive of continuing efforts to maintain trees in the open spaces and park areas where families can gather and recreate.

Trees are the defining elements that make these open spaces and parks so enjoyable, and they offer many benefits, not only to the users of the space, but the overall environment.

The Tree City USA designation award is a reflection of commitment of tree preservation, tree education and tree health throughout the village.

There are seven important reasons to plant trees: they conserve energy, they help clean the air, they provide habitat for songbirds, they can increase your home's value, they help keep our rivers and streams clean, they fight global warming and they enhance the aesthetics of our community.

Join the village at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 1, at Liberty Park on Kindberg Court in Blackberry Creek Subdivision to celebrate Arbor Day and the importance of trees. Join village officials, the Tree Board, Cub Scouts and others in planting two trees in the park.

There will be a short ceremony reading the Arbor Day proclamation, Joyce Kilmer's famous poem about trees, an explanation of the importance of Arbor Day and a drawing for two potted trees. Information from the Arbor Day Foundation and the local extension office will also be available.

For details, call (630) 385-5060.