Don't Miss It: Arbor Day Celebration in Westhampton Beach

On Friday afternoon, the Village of Westhampton Beach will receive a Tree City USA designation — it is the 25th year in a row that the village will be bestowed with the honor by the Arbor Day Foundation.

To celebrate, the village, will hold a ceremony in front of village hall at 3:30 p.m.

During the event, representatives from the Arbor Day Foundation, and local dignitaries will be on hand as the village receives the distinguished award.

In preparing for the 25th anniversary of its Tree City designation, the village's beautification committee, headed up by Trustee Patricia DiBenedetto, has been working with local students from Westhampton Beach's elementary, middle and high schools to plant 25 trees around the village. So far, 24 trees have been planted with the final 25th tree to be put in the ground on Friday during the ceremony.

Many of the students will be in attendance on Friday and will stand to talk about the importance of trees.

To be named as a Tree City, the Arbor Day Foundation requires that a municipality establish a tree board or department, a tree-care ordinance, an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita and an Arbor Day observance.

"Everyone benefits when elected officials, volunteers and concerned citizens in communities like Westhampton Beach make smart investments in urban forests," said John Rosenow, founder and chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. "Trees bring shade to our homes and beauty to our neighborhoods, along with numerous economic, social and environmental benefits."