Village of Steward celebrates Arbor Day

Posted 5/4/18

The Village of Steward held its 15th Arbor Day Celebration at Steward Elementary School on Friday April 27.

Former Village President Mildred Danekas gave the Arbor Day Proclamation for President Hugh McKiski, who was unable to attend.

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Village of Steward celebrates Arbor Day

Posted

STEWARD — The Village of Steward held its 15th Arbor Day Celebration at Steward Elementary School on Friday April 27.
Former Village President Mildred Danekas gave the Arbor Day Proclamation for President Hugh McKiski, who was unable to attend.  
The assembly was about Witness Trees and what Steward’s Witness Tree would have seen.  Of course, trees are inanimate, but they give a time reference to historic events.
Since Steward was all prairie 150 years ago, our Witness Tree grew nearby in “Plum Thicket,” the only grove in Alto Township.  The current owner of the grove graciously photographed and measured some of the very large oaks and walnuts.  

To get an idea of how large the Witness Tree is, students filled out the template on the gym floor so those assembled could better imagine the size of the tree.  Students saw projected photos of the series of four school buildings, three buildings that Wesley Steward built, three photos of how Steward Streets appeared in 1920, and three progressions of the fire station. When students were asked if they knew that Alto Hotel was a business in historic Steward, three students knew, as it is currently their home.  Several students were able to view what Steward Elementary School looked like when their parents had attended.  The current structure was built in 2000.  
This year’s Arbor Day tree is a Triumph Elm, a cultivar of Morton Arboretum.
Having an Arbor Day Celebration and Proclamation is one of the four requirements to be a Tree City USA.  Additional requirements are having a tree board or department, a tree care ordinance, and an annual forestry budget of at least $2 per capita.
Steward was named a 2017 Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation in honor of its commitment to effective urban forest management.
“Tree City USA communities see the impact an urban forest has in a community first hand,” said Dan Lambe, president of Arbor Day Foundation. “Additionally, recognition brings residents together and creates a sense of community pride, whether it’s through volunteer engagement or public education.”
Trees provide multiple benefits to a community when properly planted and maintained.  They help to improve the visual appeal of a neighborhood, increase property values, reduce home cooling costs, remove air pollutants and provide wildlife habitat, among other benefits.
More information on the program is available at arborday.org/TreeCityUSA.
About the Arbor Day Foundation: The Arbor Day Foundation is a million member nonprofit conservation and education organization with the mission to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees.  More information is available at arborday.org.