Huntington Plants 200 Trees for Arbor Day

By Maureen Daly

Huntington celebrated National Arbor Day with over 150 local students and community leaders planting 200 saplings at Koster Park in South Huntington.

Huntington Supervisor Ed Smyth led the planting of the new trees, and addressed the Huntington High School students and local scout troops who volunteered to do the planting.

The students and scouts planted 200 bare root saplings, consisting of 25 each of Flowering Dogwood, Highbush Cranberry, Buttonbush, Ninebark, Black Chokeberry, Virginia Rose, Witch Hazel, and Winterberry.

April 29th was the 150th celebration of National Arbor Day in America.

The first Arbor Day ever was held in the small Spanish village of Mondoñedo (now Alameda de los Remedios) and was organized by its mayor in 1594. The village celebrated the arrival of Spring by planting lime and chestnut trees.

In America, the holiday is designated as a day to inspire planting, caring for plants, climbing trees and educating yourself and others about the importance of trees.