Arbor Day celebrated at Smalley Park

The city of Shawano, its municipal utilities, a couple and a business owner all have new lawn ornaments to display in recognition of their commitment to trees.

Shawano’s annual Arbor Day celebration took place at Smalley Park on April 28, presented by members of the Shawano Tree Advisory Committee and city officials.

Receiving the Nature’s Friend Awards were Don and Jackie Fairbairn in the residential category and Ellen Ramlet, who manages River Ridge Condominium Group, in the commercial category.

City officials were awarded their 27th designation as a Tree City USA. According to the Arbor Day Foundation’s website, in order to be recognized as a Tree City USA, the city must meet the requirements of having a tree board or department, implementing a tree care ordinance, having a community forestry program with an annual budget of at least $2 per capita, and observe Arbor Day.

The Public Works Department was also given a $2,000 check from Shawano Municipal Utilities. Shawano was also  recognized for 18 years as part of Tree Line USA, which promotes best practices in public and private utility arboriculture, demonstrating how trees and utilities can co-exist for the benefit of communities and citizens.

An autumn blaze maple tree will be planted at the River Ridge Condominium Complex in Ramlet's honor.

“This award is a recognition for the people who volunteer their time to keep everything looking good,” Ramlet said. “We will be proud to display this award.”

Ramlet said that even though the community has lost some trees recently, this award promotes keeping the old trees and taking care of them.

Another autumn blaze maple tree will be planted in honor of the Fairbairns at Smalley Park.

“We bought our home 17 years ago,” Don Fairbairn said. “We are just trying to be good stewards, leaving the property looking better than how we found it.”

Fairbairn added how important trees are to the Shawano community.

“Trees are essential to life,” he said. “Shawano does a great job with its parks — I think, the more trees, the better.”

Shawano city forester Mike Kroenke said having trees in the community adds diversity to life and improves the quality of life.

“There are so many attributes to having trees,” Kroenke said. “The city of Shawano has older trees that add beauty and aesthetics, are good for wildlife, good for storm water runoff retention, they add cooling in warm weather and they serve as a wind breaker — they add so many attributes.”

Once a year, Nature’s Friends Awards are awarded to one resident in the Shawano community, as well as one commercial business in the Shawano community. Anyone can be nominated and apply for the Nature’s Friend Award through the city of Shawano and the tree advisory committee, Kroenke said.

“The condominium group really improved their properties through planting trees and landscape plants — they are very nature conservative,” said Kroenke. “For the residential award, if you look at their (Don and Jackie Fairbairn) property, it's beautiful with trees, landscape and flowers — they are a good example for community members to follow.”

Also at the ceremony, Shawano Mayor Bruce Milavitz proclaimed April 30 to be Arbor Day in the city.

“I urge everyone, who are able to do so, to observe this day by planting trees and by participating in one or more programs that our sponsors may provide,” Milavitz said.