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C.H. Campbell helps city mark tree milestone
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.After planting a Norway Maple Crimson Red King Variety, Canfield City Council President Andy Skrobola presented Kent Polen, C.H. Campbell Elementary School principal, with the Arbor Day proclamation May 20.
By ABBY SLANKER
Fourth-grade students at C.H. Campbell Elementary School celebrated Arbor Day and helped the City of Canfield continue its reign as a Tree City USA by planting and dedicating a Norway Maple Crimson Red King Variety in front of the school May 20.
“The Parks, Recreation and Cemetery Board chooses school properties to plant trees to get kids involved and give them an understanding of why it is important to plant trees,” said Kent Polen, C.H. Campbell Elementary School principal.
This year, the city celebrated being designated a Tree City USA for 30 years. The city received a sign announcing the honor.
According to Mark Eddy, chairman of the Parks, Recreation and Cemetery Board and a certified arborist, a city must meet three requirements to be considered a Tree City USA.
“First, the city must have a tree board, secondly, the city must hold an Arbor Day celebration and finally, the city must spend so much money per capita per person in the city. This includes brush pick-up, leaf recycling, tree planting and maintenance,” Eddy said.
The city of Canfield was also awarded the Growth Award, which recognizes cities which go above and beyond the requirements. The city has planted 32 new trees this year at parks, cemeteries, on the Green and at schools.
According to Eddy, Canfield is the only community in Mahoning County to have the distinction of being a Tree City USA for 30 years. Also, the state of Ohio has more than 247 Tree City USAs, which is the most in the country.
Before the planting of the tree, an Arbor Day program was held in the gym during which students took turns reading a poem and Canfield City Council President Andy Skrobola presented Polen with the Arbor Day proclamation. The students also made posters to mark the occasion.