ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Wes Moore proclaimed April 2, 2025, as the 142nd annual Maryland Arbor Day celebration. The proclamation was made during the Board of Public Works meeting, where Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Secretary Josh Kurtz and the Maryland Forest Service presented tree seedlings to the board members.
Following tradition, dozens of eastern redbud seedlings grown at the Ayton State Tree Nursery were distributed to the Board of Public Works and the Maryland General Assembly. Maryland celebrates Arbor Day annually on the first Wednesday in April, while the nation observes it on the last Friday.
The arrival of spring signifies a crucial time for tree planting. With warming weather, seedlings from the state nursery are prepared for planting across Maryland. The Maryland Forest Service has identified numerous acres designated for new tree plantings.
During the meeting, the Maryland General Assembly also recognized the state’s Tree Farm of the Year and Tree Farm Inspector of the Year. The Maryland Senate bestowed the honor of Tree Farm of the Year 2025 upon Rock Lodge Trust, a privately-owned natural area in Garrett County, near McHenry.
The House of Delegates acknowledged Melissa Nash of the Maryland Forest Service as the 2025 Maryland Tree Farm Inspector of the Year. Nash received a proclamation recognizing her “for outstanding forest stewardship and increasing public understanding of the benefits of sustainable forestry in Garrett County.”
This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.
Photo via the Maryland Governor’s Office
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