The City of Hartsville will honor South Carolina’s Arbor Day on Thursday, Dec. 10 by planting a new Southern Sugar Maple tree in Pride Park, found at 630 S. Sixth St. Anyone interested is invited to attend the ceremony, which will begin at 11 a.m.
In addition to the tree planting ceremony, Hartsville City Council issues an annual Arbor Day proclamation highlighting the important role of trees in reducing the community’s topsoil erosion as well as reducing heating and cooling costs and providing habitat for wildlife. These observances are two of the factors who have allowed the City of Hartsville to receive a Tree City USA award for the last 29 years. Through the Tree City USA awards, the National Arbor Day Foundation recognizes those communities who invest in urban forestry through a department responsible for tree maintenance with regular funding as well as a public tree care ordinance.
Although National Arbor Day takes place the last Friday in April, states celebrate at differing times based on local climate. State law sets South Carolina’s Arbor Day on the first Friday of December, which marks the beginning of the local tree-planting season, running from December until mid-March when rainfall and the dormancy of vegetation allow for easier transplanting.