Aspen to host Arbor Day celebration

The city of Aspen will be hosting multiple city departments and arborist companies at Paepke Park from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday, June 6, to promote better urban forestry practices, celebrate trees and help connect people with resources for their home trees. 

The city’s representatives, like the Aspen Fire Protection District and Environmental Health department, will help with educating the public on better tree-care practices, especially with the drought and fire weather Aspen is expecting this season.

“Arbor Day is a great time for the community to get together and celebrate their love of trees,” Heather Gale, the city forester, said. 

The city will also be giving out free trees for people to plant in their home, with the goal of promoting diversity in the urban forest canopy. According to Gale, a more diverse forest builds resilience to pests and other issues that plague trees in urban environments. She hopes to hand out shade-providing trees, like big tooth maple, thornless hawthorn and lilacs, instead of the aspen and cottonwood trees that already dominate the city’s canopy.

“(We’re) trying to push people away from planting what they’re used to, to promote diversity,” she said.

Gale noted that healthy urban forests help filter storm water, provide shade and provide mental health benefits to the community.

There will also be food and refreshments, bucket truck rides and raffle prizes at Saturday’s celebration. The trees will be handed out while supplies last, starting at 10:30 a.m.