Two north Gwinnett cities are celebrating Arbor Day 2021 with tree plantings.
In honor of Arbor Day, which is celebrated in Georgia on the third Friday in February, Sugar Hill’s parks and recreation department planted four weeping cherry trees at Gary Pirkle Park.
The city of Sugar Hill is also commemorating Arbor Day with a recorded panel discussion with Tim Daly, an ANR County Extension Agent with the University of Georgia, Sarah Barlow, Gwinnett Parks & Recreation deputy division director for natural and cultural resources, and Steve Graessle, with the Sugar Hill community garden. The panel discussion can be viewed on the city’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/cityofsugarhill.
The city of Suwanee is inviting the public to participate in its Arbor Day celebration — volunteers can help plant trees at Sims Lake Park. The tree planting will be held from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 20.
“We have everything they’ll need,” said Bill Stinehart, Suwanee’s environmental services manager, “shovels, fertilizer, maps, diagrams on how to plant.”
Stinehart said the event is kid-friendly and staff will be on hand to direct the plantings.
Anyone interested in volunteering can call Stinehart at 770-904-3381 or email bstinehart@suwanee.com. Sims Lake Park is located at 4600 Suwanee Dam Road.
The first Georgia Arbor Day was proclaimed by the Georgia General Assembly in December 1890. In 1941, the General Assembly designated the third Friday in February as Arbor Day. The best time to plant trees in Georgia in November through March.
“We want to give the trees a chance to bud out, send their roots out, before the hot summer sets in so there’s a much higher chance of survival,” Stinehart said.
— Staff Reports
