City of Calabasas celebrates nature during Arbor Day

The city of Calabasas, Mountains Restoration Trust and Tree City USA hosted an Arbor Day celebration March 10 at Wild Walnut Park. The event brought together about 70 people to celebrate nature and remind the public to treat the environment lightly.

Student volunteers representing Earth Club and Project Cool Down from Calabasas High School and Key Club from Granada Hills High School arrived early and began digging holes and planting saplings of valley oak, currant and walnut trees. Several students from Malibu and Agoura Hills also came to help.

More than 100 trees were planted by the end of the celebration.

In addition to the festivities, Calabasas was awarded a 2006 Tree City USA title by the National Arbor Day Foundation for the Saratoga trees that were planted in the Mulwood area as a result of a grant received from the state Department of Forestry.

The recognition was followed by the official treeplanting ceremony, symbolic of Arbor Day, in which Mayor Dennis Washburn, City Council members and environmental commissioners participated.