Alachua County celebrates Arbor Day 2021 by planting 21 trees

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - Alachua County residents took part in Florida’s Arbor Day. Florida has celebrated Arbor Day since 1886 and it has one of the first celebration days in the nation-- with the national Arbor Day recognized in April.

The 21 trees planted on Friday now make more than 600 trees planted by Alachua County’s Park and Conservation team. Volunteers including students from the University of Florida joined the Park and Conservation team at E.P. Powers Park to make their Arbor Day mark-- planting a variety of trees along the shore of Newnans Lake.

“For this Arbor Day, our theme was the historic aspect of trees--and that is why we planted here on Newnans Lake ... because there is this vast history of forestry and vast significance of trees,” said Alachua County Arborist, Lacy Holtzworth.

The history of wood itself, is ancient.

“Stone Age tools? They had wooden handles. Those Bronze Aged tools? They were carving wooden wheels and boats that crossed the ocean. The Information Age? All those words and all that information was recorded on paper made from wood,” said Holtzworth.

Volunteers also got the chance to learn about the latest techniques for properly planting trees as well as learn more about the history of the older trees around them and the newer ones they had planted ---their own mark in history.

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