Laguna Beach celebrates 1st Annual Arbor Day Event

It may have taken 424 years to make its way to being recognized and celebrated here, but Arbor Day finally got its day in Laguna Beach.

First celebrated in the Spanish village of Mondoñedo in 1594, Arbor Day is traditionally observed on the last Friday in April. Laguna Beach however, like many Pacific towns, benefits from earlier platings — so it was that staff and volunteers from the City of Laguna Beach - Government, along with community activists who have long led the charge for tree conservation here in town, gathered at Jahraus Park off of Cliff Dr. to ceremoniously plant a 36-inch box Torrey Pine tree, as well as to announce plans for additional tree pantings throughout Laguna Beach.

Additional Arbor Day-inspired activities will be supported in part by a $50,000 pledge from Barbara MacGillivray, whose donation will go toward setting up a private foundation for the benefit of our local trees. Children from the Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach joined City Council members Rob Zur Schmiede, Toni Iseman and Bob Whalen in marking the day, as did singer April Walsh and members of the South Laguna Community Garden Park Band.

It was just last month that the Laguna Beach City Council voted to make March 7-14 'Arbor Week' here in Laguna Beach, as well as to apply for 'Tree City USA' status with the Arbor Day Foundation.