The City of Owensboro celebrated Arbor Day on Friday by planting eight dogwood trees at James Mason Park.
City Commissioner Mark Castlen said trees were an important aspect of the community in a number of ways.
“People will see this and plant a few trees and help beautify their yards and neighborhoods,” he said. “Hopefully it will spread like wildfire through the city and the parks and we’ll all have beautiful landscaping.”
Arbor Day was first observed with the planting of more than a million trees in the state of Nebraska, Castlen said.
Trees, he said, can reduce the erosion of topsoil by wind and water, moderate the temperature, clean the air, produce oxygen and provide a habitat for wildlife.
“Trees are a renewable resource giving us paper and wood for our homes, fuel for our fires, and countless other wood products,” he said.
In the City of Owensboro, trees can increase property values and enhance the economy, Castlen added.
“Owensboro has been recognized as a Tree City U.S.A. by the National Arbor Day Foundation and plans to continue its tree-planting ways,” he said.
