By Natalie M. Zeigler
City Manager
Because of differences in climate, Arbor Day is celebrated at different times of year in different states. In South Carolina, it comes in December, which may seem odd. Plant life is at its most dormant then, but that part of the plants’ annual cycle, along with generally reliable rainfall, makes the winter ideal for transplanting trees without disturbing their roots too much.
For a long time now, the City of Hartsville has marked our state’s Arbor Day with a celebration of our trees. It’s one of the reasons we have been designated a Tree City USA for 28 years running, an award given by the Arbor Day Foundation in recognition of our ongoing efforts to protect and maintain public trees.
In 2012, we marked Arbor Day with the planting of a new Bur oak in South Hartsville’s Pride Park as the capstone of a major renovation park effort we completed that fall. In 2013, we joined the Spring Beauty Garden Club in planting a live oak at Coker College’s Admissions Building. This past December, we decided to try something new. Our City Arborist, Stephen Wild, devised an art contest for fifth grade students to express the importance which our trees hold for our community and our environment. The winner, Leah Duncan, was recognized for her work by City Council and will have a tree planted in her honor.
Creating and maintaining a healthy inventory of in-town trees goes a very long ways towards making our community a great place to live. Tree canopies help out with everything from improving air quality to energy conservation and noise reduction. They make business districts more walkable and inviting.
We in the City government are far from the only ones working to manage Hartsville’s tree resources. Many will recognize the tireless efforts of the nonprofit group Trees for Tomorrow, which for decades has been planting, replacing and otherwise maintaining hundreds of trees in the area.
You may also have seen the crews of Duke Energy Progress working on trees around town recently. All the benefits of trees in the community don’t come entirely without drawbacks, including the fact that trees are one of the biggest causes of power outages. The work they have been doing is meant to keep power lines, both transmission and distribution lines, clear while at the same time maintaining the tree’s health. Anytime that their work prevents power outages in the next ice storm, it shows its value.
We in the City have also been at work finding new ways to help trees and people coexist more easily. You may recall last fall when our sidewalk installations in the Oakdale neighborhood included flexible rubber sidewalks to help prevent damage to tree roots, the first of their kind in the area. Our City’s trees have benefits for our appearance as well as economic benefits, and they are always worth the investment.
Natalie Zeigler is the City Manager of Hartsville. For more information, call City Hall at 843-383-3015 or email info2@hartsvillesc.gov.