The City of Concord’s Arbor Day is celebrated each year on the last Friday in October. This year, Mayor William C. “Bill” Dusch and City Manager Lloyd Payne commemorated the event with the planting of nine new trees at Fire Station 10. They were joined by Concord Fire Chief Jake Williams, Deputy Chief Thomas Knox, firefighters from Station 10, City Arborist Bill Leake, and staff from the Buildings and Grounds Department.
“We’re a popular place to live, and as our city continues to grow, we are doing our part to improve and restore the tree canopy,” said Mayor Bill Dusch. “Our city Arborist, Bill Leake, does an outstanding job overseeing these efforts and ensuring we meet our commitment to a healthy urban forest.”
As one of the fastest growing, and tenth largest city in the state, Concord is committed to responsible growth and urban development that recognizes the value and importance of a healthy tree canopy. The city maintains a 2:1 goal of planting two new trees for every tree removed.
Earlier this year, the city earned its second Tree City USA designation by meeting the program’s four core standards: a tree conservation board or department; a tree care ordinance; an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita; and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.
Residents are encouraged to join the city’s efforts by participating in the Memorial Tree Program. This program allows residents to purchase and donate a tree in honor of a loved one or commemorative event. The city will plant Memorial Trees that were purchased over the summer, and any newly purchased trees, beginning in November and continuing through February as this is the optimal tree planting season for the Southeast United States.
Additionally, the city recently partnered with the Creation Care team at All Saints Episcopal Church and the Arbor Day Foundation to giveaway 222 free trees to Concord residents through the Energy Saving Trees program. The 20-year beneficial outcomes for these 222 trees are: 430,000 kWh energy saved, 710,000 lbs. of carbon sequestered, and over 3 million gallons of storm water runoff filtered. This is the third year the city has participated in the program; in total, 783 trees have been given to residents completely free of charge.
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