Blog: City Blog

TREE-iffic Arbor Day Celebration at West View Elementary

West View Elementary students plant trees on Arbor Day

As kids from the Environmental Club of West View Elementary erected new trees around their playground, one student got a chuckle out of the adults when he exclaimed, “Whoa! This club is FUN!”

On Friday, Nov. 2, students from West View Elementary helped the City’s Tree Board celebrate Arbor Day.

David Brace, the City’s Chief Operations Officer and Deputy to the Mayor, read the Mayor’s proclamation at the event held before the fourth and fifth graders.

Diane Warwick, Forestry Program Specialist at the Tennessee Department of Agriculture Forestry Division, presented awards at the ceremony.

Knoxville Arbor Day designations

The City of Knoxville was presented with a Tree Cities USA designation. This was the 28th year in a row for Knoxville to win the prestigious accolade. Criteria for a Tree Cities USA status include:

- Tree Board – In Knoxville, it’s appointed by the City of Knoxville Mayor

- Tree Care Ordinance – Mayor Rogero created the City’s first Urban Forester position in 2012, filled by Kasey Krouse. He and his Urban Forestry crew follow the City’s tree care policy.

- Community forestry program with annual budget of at least $2 per capita – Knoxville spends about $434,000 annually on trees.

- Arbor Day observance and proclamation – Made possible by the Arbor Day celebrated this year at West View Elementary.
Knoxville Utilities Board was presented with a Tree Line USA designation, which recognizes best practices in public and private utility arboriculture, demonstrating how trees and utilities can co-exist for the benefit of communities and citizens. This was KUB’s 19th year to receive the award.
The University of Tennessee received another Tree Campus USA designation. Two- and four-year accredited colleges and universities meeting a criteria of standards receive recognition materials to showcase their dedication to the campus environment.

Dale Madden, Tree Board Chair, then presented students with Arbor Day contest awards. Smokey Bear extended his congratulations to the honorees.

Cianna Hill, a fifth grader, won the overall essay contest. Click HERE to read her essay.

The poster contest winners were:
1st place – Annalise Vasquez
2nd place – Cianna Hill
3rd place – Maria Francisco-Jose

Following the ceremony, the City’s Urban Forester and Tree Board members helped the Environmental Club of West View Elementary to plant six large trees around their playground.

For more information on the City’s Urban Forestry Division, including a mapped inventory of City of Knoxville trees, visit www.knoxvilletn.gov/trees.

Posted by On 09 November, 2018 at 5:31 PM