MINEOLA – In front of the steps of the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran today hosted an official county ceremony to celebrate Arbor Day. Joined by Nassau County Legislators Ellen Birnbaum, Debra Mulé, and Denise Ford, and members of Nassau County Tree Advisory Board, the County Executive planted a tree and issued an official proclamation to the citizens of Nassau on behalf of the Arbor Day Foundation.
“Each day as I walk into my office, I pass a majestic statue of Teddy Roosevelt, who used Arbor Day as an opportunity to write to the young people of America about the importance of environmental conservation,” said County Executive Curran. “Planting trees cleans our air, beautifies our neighborhoods, and preserves the sustainability of our communities. As President Roosevelt wrote, ‘A people without children would face a hopeless future; a country without trees is almost as hopeless.’ This Arbor Day, let us all recommit to conserving the rich forestry we are blessed with here in Nassau County.”
The tree planted, a River Birch, was planted in front of the historic Theodore Roosevelt Nassau Executive and Legislature Building at 1550 Franklin Avenue in Mineola. The tree was selected by the Nassau County Department of Works Horticulturist, Richard Arnedos.
“Not only do trees provide essential environmental benefits that we may take for granted in our daily lives, they can also be a source of calm, beauty and respite in a hectic world,” said Nassau County Legislator Ellen W. Birnbaum. “I was proud to join County Executive Curran in observing Arbor Day and celebrating the many forms of growth that trees symbolize.”
“By observing Arbor Day, we honor the majesty of the trees that soar skyward from the soils of Nassau County and beyond,” said Nassau County Legislator Debra Mulé. “It was a pleasure to join County Executive Curran and my colleagues in this effort to make the world our children and grandchildren will inherit from us greener and more beautiful.”
"Our environment is the most important resource we have,” said Nassau County Legislator Denise Ford. “Whether it's planting trees on Arbor Day or protecting our dunes and coastlines, I am proud to do everything in my power to protect our natural lands for future generations."
