The City of Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department is encouraging residents to plant trees to celebrate Arbor Week from Saturday, March 7 to Saturday, March 14.
The city is collaborating with the Santa Maria-Bonita School District and will plant trees in order to educate youth on the importance of Arbor Week and the benefits trees provide.
The trees will be planted on three school campuses throughout the community including Alvin Elementary, Oakley Elementary and Rice Elementary.
The City of Santa Maria has been recognized as a "Tree City U.S.A." by the National Arbor Day Foundation for 34 years due to its commitment to complete an urban forest plan.
Santa Maria's urban forest contains approximately 26,668 street and park trees.
Arbor Day is a nationally celebrated observance founded by J. Sterling Morton in 1872 and is celebrated on different dates by each state, California's dates being from March 7 through March 14.
