Lovell celebrates Arbor Day

The Town of Lovell and the National Park Service are celebrating their 16^th annual Arbor Day at Armory Park on Thursday, May 1. The event encourages community members to plant trees, and local students have an opportunity to participate in a poster contest and planting.

“There is a poster contest tied into the state,” said Town of Lovell Parks Director Kelton Wagner. “For a small town, we’ve had quite a few state winners overall, and that is a big deal for the fourth and fifth graders.”

According to Wagner, many states adopt a different day for Arbor Day. He said the official national day for Arbor Day is April 25. However, the Town of Lovell decided to move it to May 1.

“May 1 is technically not Wyoming’s Arbor Day,” Wagner said. “Our town is observing it on Thursday because of the weather, and for getting the kids out that was the best day for the school.”

Wagner said the Town of Lovell has been recognized as a Tree City USA for 24 years. He also said that Arbor Day is a good way for kids to watch the tree they planted grow and come home to see it again years later, making it a great memory.

“The big thing about Arbor Day for our town is we are a Tree City,” Wagner said. “So, you must observe Arbor Day no matter when it is to qualify as a Tree City. Our town picks a park project and adds trees to it, and kids can see (their tree) grow, and when they get old, they can come back home and see the tree there.”

The Town of Lovell will hold a ceremony and give prizes to kids who participate in Arbor Day. Kids and community members who help grow trees contribute to making their community beautiful, Wagner said,

“Arbor Day is something that the National Park Service, Town of Lovell and Lovell Elementary School have been doing together for the last 16 years,” said National Park Service park guide Jenna Schauer. “It is a fun event where we help the kids participate in a poster contest, and then we take the kids to plant trees in the park or any part of the local community.”

Everyone in the community is invited to join the Arbor Day celebration at Armory Park at 12:30 p.m. Thursday.