Keep Bartow Beautiful sponsors Georgia's annual Arbor Day by giving away free seedlings on February 19, 2010.

Although National Arbor Day is celebrated the fourth Friday in April, some states, including Georgia, choose to celebrate Arbor Day on a date that corresponds to the best time to plant trees in the area.  On Friday, February 19, 2010 Bartow County will encourage the planting by giving out free dogwood and long leaf pine seedlings grown by the Georgia Forestry Commission.  These seedlings are courtesy of Keep Bartow Beautiful and

the TreesBartow program, click here for planting tips.  Volunteers from

Bartow County's Master Gardeners will be handing out seedlings and planting advice.  These trees are given out on a first come first serve basis and will begin at 9 a.m. at the front door of the Bartow County Courthouse and Adairsville, Cartersville, Emerson and Kingston, City Halls.

A special tree planting will be held at Georgia Highlands on State Hwy 20 (time to be announced).

Let us know how you celebrate Arbor Day - Arbor Day programs can include educational displays, school tree plantings, and the addition of trees to the Georgia Urban Forest Council's Landmark and Historic Trees Registry.  Currently, the state listing includes the Springbank Oak on Hall Station Road.  Other trees are being considered, including the Beasley Gap-Old Pine Log Village Pine Tree.  To nominate a historic or landmark tree, email us at henshaws@bartowga.org.

Keep Bartow Beautiful also maintains a Great Tree Hunt Listing of the largest trees in Bartow County. These trees are nominated by their owners, or by local citizens, and are judged by tree experts as the largest submitted. The contest is ongoing, with new trees added annually. To nominate a tree for listing, or to see a complete list, just email us at henshaws@bartowga.org.

For more information on trees, go to the Georgia Urban Forest Council site at www.gufc.org. There you can see the complete listing for the Landmark and Historic Trees Registry. The Georgia Forestry Commission also has information about ordering tree seedlings, planting procedures, and more. They may be visited at www.gfc.state.ga.us. You may also visit the National Arbor Day Foundation at www.arborday.org.


“Arbor Day…which has already transplanted itself…to every state in the American Union and has even been adopted in foreign lands…is not like other holidays. Each of those reposes on the past, while Arbor Day proposes for the future.” J. Sterling Morton, Founder of Arbor Day (1872)