A crowd of Mexico Middle School students erupted into chants of “plant that tree,” as Tyler Roberts, City of Mexico Parks and Recreation superintendent, planted a Sugar Maple tree at Fairgrounds park.
The students, and community members, were celebrating Arbor Day and Mexico’s 47th year as a Tree City with parks and recreation and Haden Dorrell from the Missouri Department of Conservation on Friday.
The middle school students and community members were gathered under the pavilion at Fairgrounds where Mayor Steve Haag gave a brief presentation on the history of Arbor Day, the importance of trees in our community and read his proclamation.
“Trees in our city increase property value, enhance the economic vitality of businesses and areas, and beautify our community,” Haag said.
As a tree city, Mexico is required to have a tree board, tree ordinance and an annual Arbor Day celebration and proclamation. The city also has to allocate $2 per person annually to community forestry.
“These commitments are important investments to the health and beauty of your guys’ city,” Dorrell said. “Mexico is setting a great example to communities across Missouri.”
After presentations, Roberts made his way to the adjacent field where he had the Sugar Maple ready for planting. A crowd of young Bulldogs, eager to help, quickly gathered.
The Mexico Gardening Club provided White Oak, Red Bud and Sugar Maple saplings, all native to Missouri, for those in attendance to take home and plant, so Roberts made a point to teach students how to properly plant a tree.
Students were then released back to the pavilion where they were given a City of Mexico Parks and Recreation drawstring bag and invited to visit the numerous vendors including ADM, the Mexico-Audrain County Library, Audrain County Emergency Management, the gardening club and more.
