NEWS

Citizens Invited to Attend Ceremony at Davidson Parks and Recreation

Please join us to celebrate Arbor Day on Friday, March 20, the same day it will be celebrated throughout North Carolina. Arbor Day is designated to encourage individuals and groups to plant and care for trees. Citizens are invited to a brief ceremony at 11:00 a.m. at the Davidson Parks and Recreation building, located at 865 South Street.

The Town of Davidson recently earned recognition as a 2019 Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation. This is the ninth year Davidson has been recognized as a Tree City. Community volunteers, the town’s Livability Advisory Board, TreesDavidson, the Beaty Task Force, and town staff all made contributions toward this achievement.

“Observing Arbor Day as a community is one of the measurements for maintaining our Tree City USA designation. I am happy to join the town staff and support the town’s commitment to stewardship of the tree canopy through maintaining the trees we have and working to plant more trees for our future,” said Pete Grisewood, Town of Davidson Arborist. “Thanks to all who share a love for Davidson’s trees and celebrate trees as an important part of the town.”

The past year saw several successes due to a collaborative effort of dedicated community members, town staff, and local nonprofits:

• The town participated in the North Carolina Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program which resulted in an updated street tree inventory of over 1,650 trees located in the public right-of-way.
• A partnership with the North Carolina Forest Service provided funding to treat ash street trees for emerald ash borer (an invasive insect).
• To better understand the town’s current canopy coverage, a tree canopy study was requested by the board of commissioners. Soon after, the board adopted an update to the Tree Preservation, Landscaping and Screening section of the Davidson Planning Ordinance.
• Over 65 volunteers assisted with phase one of invasive plant removal efforts at Beaty Park, which became permanently protected by a conservation easement in 2019.

To learn more about Davidson’s Tree Canopy and other efforts visit the website. 

If you have a group that would be interested in participating in a tree planting event, you can contact the Davidson Lands Conservancy at [email protected]

For more information about the Arbor Day Ceremony or Tree City USA program, contact Pete Grisewood at [email protected] or call the Davidson Parks and Recreation Department at 704-892-3349 for more information.