The City of Roswell’s Keep Roswell Beautiful program will help local residents celebrate Arbor Day by again handing out tree seedlings for citizens who wish to plant them in their yards or other properties. The Arbor Day Seedling Giveaway is scheduled for Saturday, April 13, from 9 to 11 a.m. at Spring River Zoo Park (1306 E. College Blvd.). This is a free event that will offer seedlings to Roswell residents on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. The number of seedlings offered per person may vary based on the available supply.
The seedlings are
types that are well adapted to this area and usually do well in this region. They are
expected to include Afghan pine, Arizona sycamore, bur oak, hackberry, lilac, New Mexico
locust, piñon and Rocky Mountain juniper.
The seedlings will be provided in an “Arbor Day Giveaway Bag” that also contains, while
supplies last, a reusable Keep Roswell Beautiful shopping tote, a reusable “Toss No Mas”
car trash container, a box of energy-efficient LED lightbulbs, and flower seeds. In addition,
tree-care information will be available at the event.
Volunteers are needed the day of the event to help set up, assist during the event and pack up
afterward. Volunteer sign-in begins at 7:30 a.m. Volunteer help will be used from 8 a.m. until
11:30 a.m. Anyone interested in volunteering, or wishing to find out more about the seedling
giveaway, can call Keep Roswell Beautiful Coordinator Kathy Lay at 575-500-0395.
The Arbor Day Seedling Giveaway is held as part of the criteria to be recognized as a
certified Tree City USA community as part of a program run by the global nonprofit Arbor
Day Foundation. 2024 marks the 34th consecutive year the City of Roswell has met the
standards to be recognized as a certified Tree City USA community, the longest streak
among New Mexico cities.
Thanks go to the City of Roswell Parks Department, Spring River Zoo staff, and Keep
Roswell Beautiful for coordinating this event. Special thanks to the New Mexico Tourism
Department’s Clean and Beautiful Grant for funding the reusable shopping totes and
purchase of the tree seedlings to give away, Xcel Energy for providing the lightbulbs, the
New Mexico Department of Transportation District 2 for providing the “Toss No Mas” car
trash containers, and Roswell Tractor Supply for donating packages of flower seeds.
National Arbor Day is the last Friday of April each year, but each state celebrates it on a day
of its choosing. In New Mexico, it is officially recognized on the second Friday in March. The
Roswell event is annually scheduled to take place between the state and national dates for
Arbor Day.