04/24/2018

The City of Noblesville will host its annual Earth Day ArborFest from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 28 at Federal Hill Commons, 175 Logan Street. This one-day event celebrates the community, its trees, the earth, and ways to improve and properly care for them. It is hosted by the Noblesville Tree Board.

“This free event will be a great way for both visitors and residents to learn easy methods to protect and enhance our environment,” said Mayor John Ditslear.

In addition to Redbud saplings that will be available while supplies last, visitors will be able to walk across the massive watershed aerial map of Noblesville and visit booths by the Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District, Indiana 811 and Ginger’s Café, which will have coffee and food items for sale.

A new twist to this year’s event, the Noblesville Tree Board has partnered with the Humane Society of Hamilton County. The humane society will have adoptable canines at the urban park. The tree board also will be handing out dog bandanas and will have environmental-themed coloring pages courtesy of Indiana’s First Dog, Henry Holcomb.

“Trees and dogs go together, so we thought this would be a nice addition and provide information and awareness to nonprofit organizations in Noblesville that make our world brighter,” Noblesville Urban Forester Vince Baker said.

Saturday’s event also marks the City of Noblesville being named a 2017 Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation in honor of its commitment to effective urban forest management. This is the 28th consecutive year Noblesville has earned this national distinction.

“Being a Tree City USA member this long shows the importance that the city and its citizens have for our environment and its sustainability year after year,” said Baker. “Twenty-eight years is a long time and an amazing feat for our community.”

The city received Tree City USA recognition by meeting the program’s four requirements: a tree board or department; a tree-care ordinance; an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita; and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.