Residents invited to plant trees for Arbor Day

Volunteers are invited to help TreeUtah celebrate Arbor Day by planting trees from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday in three Salt Lake Valley locations.

One tree will be planted at TreeUtah's new office at 740 S. 300 West to symbolize the nonprofit organization's commitment to its urban forest in Salt Lake City. An open house will be held in conjunction with the planting.

Volunteers also will be planting seedling native riparian trees at the Jordan River restoration site, approximately 10000 South and the river. Directions to the site are available at www.treeutah.org.

A tree planting also is planned at the EcoGarden at the Day-Riverside Library, 1575 W. 1000 North, Rose Park. Volunteers will meet in the library parking lot. For more information, call 801-364-2122.

Other Arbor Day celebrations include:

• No admission will be charged to Red Butte Garden on Friday, the day before Arbor Day. The state's Arbor Day ceremony and poster contest award ceremony will start at the garden at 10 a.m.

Friday through Sunday, the "ancient art of bonsai" will be on display at Red Butte, 300 Wakara Way (2250 East). "Members of the Bonsai Club of Utah will display trees from their collections as well as answer questions and demonstrate different bonsai techniques," a press release said.

• Area first-graders will be assisting the West Valley parks crew in planting trees at Centennial Park at 9 a.m. Friday.

At 9 a.m. Saturday, volunteers are invited to help city crews complete the planting of 31 trees around the east baseball diamonds and on the north side the park, 405 W. 3100 South.

"West Valley City has been a part of Tree City USA and has held Arbor Day Celebrations for 12 years," said Jason Erekson, West Valley's parks superintendent. "We are excited to continue that tradition."

Tree City USA is a national program of the National Arbor Day Foundation that assists cities with community forestry programs.

Those who want to volunteer for Saturday's project can call the city forester at 801-955-3755 and leave a message. Tools and planting assistance will be provided.

More information can be found at www.arborday.org.