Residents to plant trees on Arbor Day

Rochester Hills residents are encouraged to join the city of Rochester Hills and Meadow Brook Hall to celebrate Arbor Day on Friday, April 27, by helping to plant new trees on Meadow Brook's historic grounds, Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan Barnett said.

Meadow Brook Hall will be hosting its annual Woodland Entrance Restoration Program on Arbor Day as a community work day and tree planting celebration. The goal will be to improve a significant areas adjacent to the entrance drive.

Woodlands clean-up and planting will begin at 1 p.m. Following the work session, volunteers will gather behind Meadow Brook Hall for a ceremonial tree planting at 3:30 p.m. hosted by the city, an Arbor Day Foundation and Tree City USA community. Barnett will offer remarks and pass along the shovel to the Musson Elementary Daisy troops to plant the tree.

"Our healthy urban tree canopy is one of the many reasons residents love to live in Rochester Hills," Barnett said. "We're proud to partner with Meadow Brook Hall and I encourage our community to join with us and plant a tree in their neighborhood this spring."

The cleanup is facilitated by ReLeaf Michigan, a statewide volunteer non-profit tree planting organization whose mission is to educate the public on the value of trees and how to properly select, plant and maintain them. Partial funding is provided by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources – Urban and Community Forestry Program and the city of Rochester Hills.

As one of over 3,000 communities in the country that are recognized as a Tree City USA, Rochester Hills has celebrated 28 years of dedication to tree planting, conservation and environmental stewardship.

For more information, contact Meadow Brook Hall's Woodland Restoration program at 248.364.6209 or email Nikki Thomas at thomas23@oakland.edu.