PENNINGTON: Shade Tree Commission works with local youth to plant trees for Arbor Day

By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
With a little help from their young friends at the Toll Gate Grammar School, the Pennington Shade Tree Committee planted a Kwanzan cherry tree on Main Street and East Welling Avenue April 28 in honor of Arbor Day., The first-grade students from Toll Gate Grammar School gathered outside for the ceremony, and read poems they had written about trees for the celebration. Mayor Arthur Persichilli officially declared April 28 as Arbor Day in Pennington., Toll Gate Grammar School Principal Faye Lewis pointed out that much of the children’s education is about making connections., “On Arbor Day, the children are making connections between the lessons in the classroom, the art they created through their poems, and the environment in which they live,” Lewis said., Gabe Rosko, who chairs the Pennington Shade Tree Committee, agreed and added that “it is never too early to teach our children about the value of trees in our community and on our planet.”, “We are happy to spend Arbor Day with the first-graders at Toll Gate Grammar School, to plant this tree and to hear their thoughts about trees,” Rosko said., Pennington has achieve Tree City USA status for 30 years. The Arbor Day Foundation sponsors the Tree City USA program, which honors cities and towns across the country that meet the program’s requirements., To be designated as a Tree City USA, a city or town must have a tree board or department, such as the Shade Tree Committee, and also have adopted a tree care ordinance., Cities and towns in the Tree City USA program also must spend at least $2 per capita, or per person, on urban forestry. The cities or towns must also celebrate Arbor Day.