Celebrate Arbor Month with the Public Shade Tree Committee

The Town Council has again proclaimed April as Arbor month. Amherst has been recognized

as a Tree City USA by the National Arbor Day Foundation since 1987.

The Public Shade Tree Committee has scheduled a series of events to celebrate trees, which the proclamation states, “capture carbon and other greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, produce oxygen for us to breathe, reduce the erosion of our precious topsoil by wind and water, moderate the temperature, clean the air, improve our water quality and slow run-off, and provide habitat for wildlife.” 

On Saturday, April 11 the committee will have their first “second Saturday” planting day of the season. Residents are invited to take part in planting trees in the downtown area from 9 a.m. to noon. Those interested should look for the shade tree committee members wearing yellow vests and carrying shovels.

A second tree planting in April will take place on Friday, April 24, which is the actual Arbor Day celebrated throughout the world.

Finally, the Public Shade Tree Committee will provide free tree saplings and educational materials at the 14th annual Amherst Sustainability Festival on Saturday, April 25, 2026 on the Town Common.

The proclamation sponsored by Town Councilors Andy Churchill, Ana Devlin Gauthier, and Lynn Griesemer and the Amherst Public Shade Tree Committee states, “NOW, THEREFORE, we, the Amherst Town Council, do hereby proclaim the month of April 2026 as Arbor Month in the Town of Amherst, and we urge all residents to support efforts to protect our trees and woodlands, and to support our Town’s urban forestry program.”

The Public Shade Tree Committee is also planning a special tree planting to commemorate the 250^th anniversary of the United States on July 4, 2026.