Office of the Mayor

Proclamation

Lawrence, Kansas

WHEREAS:     In 1872, J. Sterling Morton proposed to the Nebraska Board of Agriculture that a special day be set aside for the planting of trees; and

WHEREAS:     The year 2012 marks the 140th Anniversary of this holiday called Arbor Day, and was first observed with the planting of more than a million trees in Nebraska; and

WHEREAS:     Arbor Day is now observed throughout the Nation and the world; and

WHEREAS:     Trees can reduce the erosion of our precious topsoil by wind and water, cut heating and cooling costs, moderate the temperature, clean the air, produce oxygen and provide habitat for wildlife; and

WHEREAS:     Trees are a renewable resource giving us paper, wood for our homes, fuel for our fires, and countless other wood products; and

WHEREAS:     Trees in our city increase property values, enhance the economic vitality of business areas, and beautify our community; and

WHEREAS:     Trees are a source of joy and spiritual renewal; and

WHEREAS:     Lawrence, Kansas has been recognized in its 34^th  year as a Tree City, USA, by The National Arbor Day Foundation and the Kansas Forest Service  and desires to continue its tree-planting ways;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Robert J. Schumm, Mayor of the City of Lawrence, Kansas, do hereby proclaim the week of April 23-27,2012  as

“TREE CITY USA WEEK”

and

Friday, April 27, 2012 as

“ARBOR DAY”

and urge all citizens to support efforts to care for our trees and woodlands, to support our City’s community forestry program, and to plant trees to gladden the hearts and promote the well-being of present and future generations.

                                                                                    Robert J. Schumm, Mayor

April 24, 2012