Green Space Commission pins possible Arbor Day at Ivory Crockett Park, plans Trees of Distinction and steward award

The Webster Groves Green Space Commission discussed plans for its annual Arbor Day celebration, including tentative timing, location and volunteer logistics, and reviewed the Trees of Distinction nomination process.

Commissioners considered holding the Arbor Day ceremony in April or May and discussed whether to plant a single ceremonial tree at a pavilion or organize a larger volunteer planting event. Several commissioners suggested Ivory Crockett Park as a possible site because of an existing pollinator garden and available space along the ballfield fence. The group discussed moving the planting day away from a weekday to increase volunteer turnout, noting that an evening ceremony (about 5:15 or 5:30 p.m.) can accommodate working residents and the mayor's schedule.

Yvonne, the city's park superintendent and the commission's staff liaison, said the first step for a larger planting would be ordering trees from Forest ReLeaf of Missouri and confirmed she could likely obtain stock by mid-April if orders are placed in time. Yvonne also reminded the commission that Arbor Day is part of the city's support for its Tree City USA recognition through the Arbor Day Foundation.

The commission agreed to form a small subcommittee to develop event logistics, promotional materials and volunteer coordination. Commissioners discussed ideas for a student art or poster contest to produce an Arbor Day poster and T-shirt design and suggested partnering with local schools and the sustainability commission's EcoEd series to raise public interest.

Separately, Laura Jordan reported there are five nominations currently under consideration for the Trees of Distinction program. The commission reviewed eligibility criteria that appear on the city's website: size or age relative to the species, rarity or uniqueness for the area, historical associations, and visibility from a street or sidewalk. The group noted that the formal Trees of Distinction application cycle traditionally opens over the summer and closes Dec. 31; nominations currently being discussed were carried over from the prior cycle.

Commissioners also discussed the Tree Steward award given at Arbor Day for an individual who has provided long-term stewardship of the community forest. The group debated whether to accept public nominations for the steward award; members thought launching an open, low-effort nomination route on the city website would be feasible for future years but likely not in time for the upcoming April ceremony.

Several commissioners and staff agreed to coordinate offline by email to set a firm date and to assemble a small subcommittee to finalize logistics and outreach. The commission asked staff to place Arbor Day and Trees of Distinction items on the next meeting agenda for formal scheduling and further planning.