Mayor Signs Arbor Day Proclamation

From left to right: Randy Irwin, Ron VanHeuvelen, Jeff Smith, Craig Coen and Mike Gipple. Mayor Krutzfeldt is seated signing the proclamation.

Oskaloosa, Iowa – In a simple ceremony in the Oskaloosa City Council Chambers, Mayor Dave Krutzfeldt signed a proclamation that stated April 30th, 2012 was Arbor Day. In signing the proclamation, Krutzfeldt was encouraging citizens to participate in tree planting and maintenance programs that will ensure a more beautiful Iowa and to nurture, protect and wisely use Iowa’s natural wonder of trees.

The local Oskaloosa Chapter of Trees Forever would like to announce that Oskaloosa was recognized by the nonprofit Arbor Day Foundation as a Tree City USA community for its commitment to urban forestry.

This is the sixteenth year Oskaloosa has earned this national designation.

Oskaloosa has met the four standards to become a Tree City USA community. Tree City USA communities must have a tree board or department, a tree-care ordnance , a comprehensive community forestry program, and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.

“We commend Oskaloosa’s elected officials, volunteers and its citizens for providing vital care for it urban forest,” said John Rosenow, chief executive and founder of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Trees provide numerous environmental, economical and health benefits to millions of people each day, and we applaud communities that make planting and caring for trees a top priority.”

Trees filter airborne pollutants and reduce the conditions that cause asthma and other respiratory problems.

A green environment impacts worker productivity: in one study, workers without views of nature from their desks claimed 23% more sick days than workers with views of nature.

Trees clean the air by absorbing carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrous oxides and other pollutants, and also shade cars and parking lots, reducing ozone emissions from vehicles. Mature trees absorb 120-240 lbs of particulate pollution each year. Also large trees remove 60 to 70 times more pollutants than small trees.

Trees divert captured rainwater into the soil, where bacteria and other microorganisms filter out impurities. This reduces urban runoff and the amount of sediment, pollutants, and organic matter that reach streams.

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