Thanking a tree sounds like a ridiculous notion. They don’t seem to do much but stand around and look pretty. So why is it that every year for the past 20 years, Loudoun County has celebrated Arbor Day, the national holiday to celebrate trees, at Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve, with a parade, festivities and hikes? Simple, it’s because trees do so much more. So this year once again, on April 12, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Loudoun County will thank its trees.
"They provide cleaner air, they provide oxygen, they help purify ground water, they help stabilize the ground, they can serve as pollinators, not to mention they’re fun to climb," points out Ron Circé, Banshee Reeks’ Manager.
At the daylong event the county will be celebrating trees with a parade in the morning in which the fire department and other local groups will march. There will also be tree climbing and hikes on the trails throughout the preserve. The family friendly event will have food from vendors available and information on how to be more environmentally friendly, especially to trees. Demonstrations from a saw mill on how a log is cut into lumber and one on wood turning will also be going on throughout the day.
"Wood turning is working with a wood lathe where you shave it down to a round," said Circé. "That’s how you get round wooden bowls."
Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve features many hiking trails surrounded by local flora and fauna, including a threaten and endangered habitat. The area is home to many types of plants and animals both endangered and not, says Circé, but the type of habitat they live in is what is becoming scarce. The preserve also features a number of endangered wild flowers growing throughout it.
The celebration of Arbor Day isn’t just at the preserve though. The county has been collecting entries for its yearly Arbor Day poster contest, for which the winners will be announced at the celebration. Children from grades kindergarten to 12 entered a poster design based on a theme about trees. This year the contest has received more than 250 entries and a winner will be selected from each grade.
"This years theme is ‘Trees Grow for Loudoun.’ Children turned in posters that celebrated a tree in Loudoun," said Circé.
Circé says that celebrating how important trees are to the environment is what Arbor Day in Loudoun is all about. As the county grows bigger and more densely populated more and more trees are being cut down, said Circé, and he believes we should all be aware of this. To help grow more trees in Loudoun patrons to the festival will be able to plant trees at the preserve or take home a few of their own saplings to plant and grow.
"We’re losing more trees then ever before and its important to recognize this," said Circé.