The City and students celebrated Arbor Day last week with a tree-planting event at Cliff Clemens Park. Twelve Sisters Elementary School students planted six trees, including three autumn maple blaze and three scarlet oak trees, to commemorate the day.

Friday, April 28 is a national holiday known as Arbor Day, which celebrates the power of trees. Many communities plant trees on Arbor Day.

Sisters Mayor Michael Preedin declared an Arbor Day Proclamation for the City of Sisters.

According to Sisters Associate Planner Emme Shoup, "The six trees were purchased from C&C Nursery by the City of Sisters and placed between the Cliff Clemens playground area and bathrooms. As these trees grow, among other trees previously planted in the 2015 Arbor Day, a diverse grove of deciduous trees will provide much-needed shade to the park."

Mayor Preedin thanked the students for coming out and planting the trees:

"It is a really cool program, and our town does special things and celebrates something like planting trees."

Local students are invited to participate in the City's annual tree-planting ceremony every year. This is important in celebrating the City of Sisters' Tree City USA designation - and this year is the City's 16th year being recognized.

As a Tree City USA participant through the Arbor Day Foundation, Sisters is one of the only cities in Oregon to have an Urban Forestry Management Plan, an urban forestry board, a contracted city forester, a public tree ordinance, and private tree preservation standards.

Photo by Jerry Baldock

Parents and volunteers helped with planting work.

The students at the event were asked what they love most about trees, and they all responded, extolling tree forts and the smell of fresh air.

Most of the City Council was present at the event and helped the students and the public works department get the trees in the ground.

The trees were not saplings and were transplanted into large holes in the ground. Students, their parents, and City staff assisted in getting them planted.

"I love that these kids can come back to this park one day and see how much their trees have grown," said Shoup.