RI Tree to Celebrate Arbor Day 2025 at Providence Country Day School

PROVIDENCE, April 17, 2025— Rhode Island Tree Council (RI Tree) will host this year’s celebration of Arbor Day at The Providence Country Day (PCD) School, 600 Waterman Avenue, East Providence, RI, on April 25th, starting at 11:00 a.m. This free event includes a tree-planting ceremony on PCD grounds, speakers, and a Tree City USA Awards presentation to the host communities. Tulips, London planes, and Elm trees will also be planted on PCD’s grounds as part of a school reforestation effort.

This year’s celebration will be the state’s 138th. Arbor Day recognizes the importance of trees, which provide numerous benefits to residents, including purifying the air, helping cool the earth, boosting property values, and soothing the human psyche. Trees also beautify where we live, work, and play and slow and absorb stormwater, saving taxpayers millions of dollars in annual flood damage and treatment costs. Rhode Island Energy and RI DEM are sponsoring the event. Join us as we recognize the importance of trees on this very special occasion.

For more details or questions about this year’s Arbor Day, contact RITree at 401-764-5885 or email ritree@ritree.org.

Rhode Island has had a long history with Arbor Day. According to the Rhode Island Department of Education records, the first event held in Rhode Island to honor trees occurred on April 29, 1886. The Barrington Rural Improvement Society and took place on public land near the railroad station in West Barrington sponsored the event.

Arbor Day is about celebrating and appreciating trees. The day has grown from a small celebration in Nebraska in the 1800s, through ratification by the Nixon Administration, to now being celebrated all over the world. Today, it’s the most extensive effort of its kind on Earth. Trees clean our air, protect our drinking water, create healthy communities, and feed the human soul, says the Arbor Day Foundation.

Arbor Day is America’s official tree holiday. The country has celebrated it since the end of the 19th century to recognize the importance of trees. The first Arbor Day occurred in Nebraska in 1871. Former Nebraskan Agriculture Commissioner Sterling Morton, a well-respected philanthropist who had earlier founded the Morton Salt Company, organized the event.

The Rhode Island Tree Council has been a leading organizer of the Rhode Island Arbor Day Program since 1998. This year, the Tree Council has had the help of several key partners, without whom this annual endeavor would not have been possible. We appreciate and acknowledge their generous support. They are the United States Forest Service, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, and the Rhode Island Energy Company.

About RITree

The Rhode Island Tree Council is a tax-exempt, non-profit group dedicated to improving the state's tree resources and educating the public on tree benefits. Composed of members, consultants, and volunteers, RITree administers its programs through its Board of Directors, Advisors, and Trustees. The group’s mission is to create healthy urban and community forests that underpin the state’s verdant ecological tapestry, support its vibrant economy, and enrich its residents’ lives. Membership is open to all.

For more information about RITree or any of its programs, contact Robin Enos, Rhode Island Tree Council, at (401) 764-5885, Email: ritree@ritree.org, or visit the Rhode Island Tree Council's website at www.ritree.org.

CONTACT:

Robin Enos , Volunteer Coordinator, Rhode Island Tree Council. Email: ritree@ritree.org

Telephone: 401-764-5885