COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Columbus Air Force Base celebrated its twenty second year this year as a member of Tree City USA.
Some of the many benefits of being a Tree City include creating a framework for action and education, setting a positive public image, and having pride as a citizen.
This year a Parsley Leaf Hawthorn was planted in the nature trails area. This tree was grown from seedlings supplied by the Arbor Day Foundation. Conservation manager Frank Lockhart chose and planted this tree as it is a native of Mississippi that is becoming rare.
The Parsley Leaf Hawthorn is a small ornamental tree with spring flowers that attract humming birds and butterflies. The small size and slow growth make it an excellent ornamental but a poor hardwood so it is not a commercially harvested tree.
Arbor Day was established on April 10, 1872, in Nebraska. It was proposed as a special day dedicated to tree planting and increasing awareness of the importance of trees. As a part of Arbor Day the Tree City USA program was developed. The program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture and the National Association of State Foresters. The program provides direction, technical assistance, public attention, and national recognition for urban and community forestry programs in thousands of towns and cities more than 120 million Americans call home.
Columbus Air Force Base also celebrated Arbor Day in conjunction with Earth Day on April 23.