Santa Fe mayor proclaims April 24 Arbor Day as city highlights TreeSmart plantings

Mayor Alan Weber proclaimed Thursday, April 24, 2025, as Arbor Day in Santa Fe and noted the city’s ongoing urban-forestry efforts, while a city staff member described species planned for new public plantings and the program’s goals.

The proclamation, read by Weber, states in part: "I, Alan Weber, mayor of the great city of Santa Fe, New Mexico, do hereby proclaim Thursday, 04/24/2025, as Arbor Day in Santa Fe." A staff member said the city will plant a mix of trees in public spaces, including an Austrian pine, big tooth maple, box elder maple, Quercus Maricopa (Bur oak), Chinese pistachio and a "frontier elf," and emphasized that the chosen species are hardy and drought tolerant.

The city highlighted the TreeSmart Santa Fe Canopy Program’s recent work. According to the proclamation text read at the meeting, the program has added more than 1,500 trees to public spaces and distributed 100 trees to families this year. The proclamation also notes the city’s inventory of more than 7,500 trees compiled through its urban-forestry program and cites Santa Fe’s long-standing membership in Tree City USA.

City staff linked the plantings to efforts to lessen urban heat: "We want to reduce the heat island effect, okay? Shade reduces the temperature of your community," the staff member said. The staff member further noted that adding trees increases local shade and can help community members interact with nature and provide volunteer opportunities.

The remarks at the meeting were ceremonial and informational; no formal vote or ordinance was recorded in the transcript. The proclamation and staff comments were presented as part of the Arbor Day observance and local program updates.

The city did not provide a detailed planting schedule or specific planting locations during the remarks, and funding sources for the recent 1,500-tree addition were not specified in the transcript.