Heritage High Tree Planted in Recognition of Arbor Day

Town of Leesburg and Loudoun County Public Schools representatives gathered with students at Heritage High School Monday to plant a London Plane tree in recognition of Arbor Day.

Arbor Day falls on the last Friday in April, but the celebration came a little early to accommodate the students’ schedules. Earth Day seemed just as appropriate a day for the ceremony.

Tom Seeman, chairman of the Leesburg Tree Commission offered a few words about the importance of trees.

“They shade our environment. They absorb pollution,” he said, adding that the goal of the annual planting is to “enhance, protect and expand the tree canopy in Leesburg.”

The Tree Commission participated in the Leesburg Flower & Garden Festival over the weekend, giving away about 1,200 American sycamore trees. Planting trees at schools in town helps educated students about the importance of trees.

The London Plane installed at Heritage Monday is expected to grow to 75 to 100 feet tall.

“It’s going to be enormous,” Seeman said, offering a word of warning. “Experience has shown a majority of trees will die after they are planted if they are not cared for.”

Trees require lots of water immediately after planting and must be mulched property. Mulch volcanoes, in which mulch is piled high around the base of trees, are not recommended, but rather a thin layer of mulch.

Mayor Kristin Umstattd thanked the group of participants, which in addition to students from Heritage included Councilman David Butler, Loudoun Supervisor Ken Reid (R-Leesburg), school board member Bill Fox (Leesburg), Heritage Principal Jeff Adam and Bill Ference, a parks and public space planner with Leesburg.