Scarsdale is Tree City USA

The Village of Scarsdale celebrated Arbor Day and their 30th consecutive designation as a Tree City USA at the Scarsdale Pool on Friday, April 26, 2013. The Village planted a Swamp White Oak, Red Maple and American Basswood to replace fallen trees and provide shade at the Scarsdale Pool. Trees help define the Village's village-in-a-park character, beautify the community and provide many environmental, social and economical benefits.

The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters and the USDA Forest Service. Scarsdale has met the four standards to become a Tree City USA community. Tree City USA communities must have:

1. A tree board or department
2. A tree-care ordinance
3. A community forestry program with annual expenditures of at least $2 per capita
4. An Arbor Day observance and proclamation.

In other tree news, The Board of Architectural Review approved the first "Heritage Tree" designation in the Village of Scarsdale. The Heritage Tree Project is sponsored by the Friends of the Scarsdale Parks, Inc. Known locally as a "Village in a Park," and a Tree City USA, Scarsdale officially moved to a higher level of distinction with the creation of the Heritage Tree program. The first tree to be designated is the majestic White Oak (pictured here) located on the front lawn of the Scarsdale Woman's Club headquarters, which achieved landmark status in the National Register in 2008. The Friends of the Scarsdale Parks and the Scarsdale Forum will commemorate this historic occasion and the Heritage oak tree on Sunday, May 19th at 2 pm at the Scarsdale Women's Club, 37 Drake Road. Admission is free. After the ceremony, Cornell Professor Nina Bassuk will lead a discussion on "What to Plant Now." Cornell Cooperative Extension will be in attendance to answer gardening questions. The Friends of the Scarsdale Parks will also be giving away free saplings of either white oak or red twig dogwood.