Kentwood to Celebrate Arbor Day, Renewed Tree City USA Designation With Community Event and Tree Seedling Giveaway 

The City of Kentwood will honor Arbor Day and its renewed designation as a Tree City USA by giving away 250 tree seedlings and hosting an Arbor Day Celebration, which will include a tree planting.

Residents of all ages are invited to join Kentwood’s Arbor Day Celebration on Friday, April 29 at Veterans Memorial Park, 355 48th St SE. The event will begin at noon with an Arbor Day proclamation, followed by a tree planting and a half-mile guided tree identification walk in the park. Complimentary refreshments will be available at the concession stand.

Arbor Day is an annual day of observance typically held in the spring to celebrate trees and encourage tree planting. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the holiday.

“A healthy tree population and canopy help improve quality of life and promote happier, healthier communities,” Mayor Stephen Kepley said. “The Arbor Day Celebration enables Kentwood to engage our community members in environmental stewardship to help make the city a more vibrant and beautiful place to live.”

The Arbor Day Celebration engages and educates the community in planting and caring for the city’s trees and is part of Kentwood’s participation in the Tree City USA program. Kentwood was recently recognized with the 2021 Tree City USA honor for promoting and caring for trees within the community, the second time the City has received the designation. The first was in 2020.  

To become a Tree City USA, cities must have an annual Arbor Day observance, a community tree ordinance, a tree board or department and spend at least $2 per capita on urban forestry activities. The program provides the necessary framework for communities to manage and expand their public trees, celebrate the importance of an urban tree canopy and demonstrate their commitment to environmental change.

Leading up to the Arbor Day celebration, residents can pick up free red maple, white pine or sugar maple tree seedlings at the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE. The seedlings will be available during business hours Tuesday, April 26 through Friday, April 29 or until supplies are gone. Residents are invited to post a picture of their planted seedling on social media using the hashtag #GreeningKentwood.

The Kentwood Activities Center is open 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday. During Arbor Day week, residents can check on tree seedling availability by calling the Parks and Recreation Department at 616.656.5270.

Railtown Brewing Company, 3595 68th St. SE, is hosting a fundraiser through March where $1 from every Bike Ride Blonde ale purchased will go to support the planting of trees in Kentwood for Arbor Day.

Residents who are looking for more ways to get involved beyond Arbor Day are invited to join the Kentwood Park Stewards, an environmentally focused program that helps preserve and maintain neighborhood parks, trails and public spaces. More information about the program is available at kentwood.us/ParkStewards.