The Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful Commission, Macon-Bibb County Tree Commission, Middle Georgia State College, Macon-Bibb County, and the Georgia Forestry Commission will kick off Georgia Arbor Day on Friday, February 20, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. in the Lynmore Estates Community Park on Mead Road. Festivities will include comments from District 2 Commissioner Rabbi Larry Schlesinger, Tree Commission Chair Derrick Catlett, Pastor Rand from Southside Community Church, Pastor Johnson with Countryside Baptist Church, and Carrie Redmond with the Neighborhood Watch Association.

The group will be celebrating the planting of 35 trees in the park, and the Forestry Commission will be handing out free tree saplings. The groups have been working together on this and other projects to assist Macon-Bibb County meet its goal to plant 250 hardwood trees every year as part of its Green Team initiative. Last year, (July 1, 2013 and June 30, 2014) 292 trees were planted around the county. This year (since July 1), 254 hardwood trees and 56 other varieties have been planted.

Georgia Arbor Day is a day set aside to reflect on the importance of trees in our state. Georgia’s first Arbor Day was proclaimed by the General Assembly 1890 making this is our states 125 celebration.