Rye Brook mayor proclaims April 24, 2026, Arbor Day and oversees ceremonial red maple planting

Rye Brook Mayor Jason Klein proclaimed Friday, April 24, 2026, Arbor Day in the Village of Rye Brook and joined officials for a ceremonial red maple planting at Rye Hills Park.

The proclamation, read aloud by Jason Klein, cited the 1872 suggestion by J. Sterling Morton for a tree-planting day and declared the date formally observed in the village. Klein thanked attendees for coming and dedicated the observance to the community.

Organizers explained that the village meets the criteria for Tree City USA recognition: a local tree code, an annual Arbor Day observance, a tree board or equivalent body, and a minimum expenditure of $2 per capita on trees and maintenance. An event host introduced certified arborist Michael Nowak to speak about the chosen tree.

Michael Nowak described the red maple's traits and why the species is valued locally, noting it is "one of the quintessential trees native to the Northeast" and that it blooms early in spring, providing resources for pollinators. He also warned that some look-alike cultivars are not true red maples: "This is not a tree that we plant in the village," he said, referring to the crimson-king Norway maple cultivar, which he described as highly invasive.

Event organizers then invited officials and volunteers to participate in a ceremonial planting and photo, where attendees dug, placed the sapling, and spread mulch. The ceremony concluded with brief thanks and refreshments.

The observance emphasized the village's ongoing tree maintenance program and local staff support for street trees and parks. No formal votes or policy changes were taken at the event; it was ceremonial and informational.