The City of Milton invites all to our home base later this month to celebrate Arbor Day with food, activities, and, of course, a love-of-all-things-trees.

This tradition typically takes place at a Milton park, as that’s where most trees on City property tend to be. But this year, it’s happening in and around City Hall … for good reason.

Starting at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, February 16, people can venture to the 2024 Arbor Day’s indoor hub at Community Place, the small building across from Council Chambers (2006 Heritage Walk). You can create tree-themed crafts, soak up arbor knowledge, as well as enjoy treats and drinks. Plus, there will be “kneelers” – which you can put on the ground to keep your knees comfy while planting – emblazoned with the Plant! Milton logo available for the public to take home.

Community Place is also where people can pick up Sawtooth Oak seedlings compliments of the City (at least while supplies last). This durable, adaptable shade tree’s leaves emerge bright yellow in the spring, turn dark green in summer, then convert to yellow and golden brown in the fall, according to the Arbor Day Foundation. The Sawtooth Oak grows a little smaller than many other oak varieties, up to 40-to-60 feet in both height and spread.

The idea is that citizens will plant these seedlings in their yards. The City, meanwhile, invites people to join dignitaries to plant several trees around our own yard – specifically, the City Hall parking lot.

That lot was transformed last fall to create more parking spaces; for that to happen, a few trees had to come down. Around Arbor Day, the City will replace what’s gone and then some by adding nine new trees – including Kousa Dogwood, Yellowwood, October Glory Red Maple, Shumark Oak, and Black Gum trees. These will fill gaps while complimenting what’s now there.

This celebration is happening in February because that’s when Arbor Day occurs in Georgia. (In cooler, more northern locales, it’s on April 26.) This falls at the end of prime tree-planting season in our area, before the temperatures heat up and it’s harder for seedlings to take root and thrive.

Year round, the City is dedicated to spreading the good word about trees. That’s what Plant! Milton is all about – our multifaceted initiative to educate, engage, and encourage the public to plant and properly care for trees. You can learn more at www.miltonga.gov/PlantMilton.