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 2014 marks the 142^nd Anniversary of this holiday called Arbor Day, and was first observed with the planting of more than a million trees in Nebraska; 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:   Lawrence, Kansas has been recognized in its 36^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, Mike Amyx, Mayor of the City of Lawrence, Kansas, do hereby proclaim the week of  April 21-25,2014  as

“TREE CITY USA WEEK”

and

Friday, April 25, 2014 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.

                                                                    Mike Amyx, Mayor

April 22, 2014