Fourth graders at Covington Street School learned some important lessons about tree care and maintenance during the city’s Arbor Day celebration this week.
Visiting fourth graders at the school, City Arborist Rodney Byrd demonstrated proper planting techniques for the students and instructed the students about the value of tree maintenance.
“I also talked about the importance of planting one every time you cut one down. Hopefully they’ll go home this weekend and plant a tree,” Byrd said.
According to Byrd, the students had been well prepared for the visit by their teachers.
“We just had one kind of funny answer when I asked the students what they get from pine trees. One student said ‘pineapples.’
“That’s why we are there, so they can learn,” Byrd said.
In addition to oxygen and food, Byrd told the students that trees can provide mulch, habitats for animals and even shade for them on warm days.
Also during the celebration, North Carolina Forester Neil McRae presented the city an award for 33 years of celebrating Arbor Day.
The city was also recognized as a Tree City USA, a distinction which Byrd said means a lot.
“It’s very important to us, especially because we are known for it, and being that we are tied with three other places in the entire United States who have been receiving the award as long as we have.
“It’s something for the city of Laurinburg to be proud of. To us we think it’s a big deal. We spend a lot of money on our tree program and we plan to continue doing so.”
With the help of students and staff, Byrd planted a small Japanese Maple Tree in front of the school, taking the time to demonstrate the proper technique.
Each year a Laurinburg elementary school is selected to hold an Arbor Day celebration and the schools teachers incorporate Arbor Day into their curriculum during the week preceding the event.
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