In dedication to the city’s trees and woodlands, the St. Louis Park City Council passed a proclamation this April observing May 14 as Arbor Day and May as Arbor Month.

Promoting Arbor Day helps raise awareness of the significant role trees and woodlands play in our urban community. It also encourages residents to support efforts to protect local trees and forested areas, along with supporting the city’s urban forestry program. Trees and woodlands are essential in creating a healthy and sustainable community, improving mental and physical health, providing wildlife habitat, filtering pollutants from both air and water, and mitigating the effects of climate change.

Community planting at Carpenter Park is May 14

To help celebrate Arbor Day and Arbor Month, the City of St. Louis Park, in collaboration with Tree Trust, will host a volunteer tree planting event at Carpenter Park, 4900 Minnesota 7, 5 to 8 p.m., May 14. Volunteers are needed to help plant 40 trees in the park. Tools and training will be provided. Register to volunteer or learn more at bit.ly/2026planting.

For those not up for planting trees, this free event will also feature a seedling giveaway, family friendly games and art projects, cookies, an obstacle course, a chance to talk with a professional arborist, and more! Registration is only required to participate in tree planting.

Proclamation

The Arbor Day and Arbor Month proclamation reads:

Whereas, the City of St. Louis Park has a long history of celebrating trees and has been recognized as a “Tree City USA” since 1980; and

Whereas, the City of St. Louis Park is also recognized as a “Tree City of the World” and desires to continue in its tree planting ways; and

Whereas, the health of people is tied to urban trees and, wherever planted, trees are a source of joy and spiritual renewal; and

Whereas, healthy trees intercept stormwater, reducing and filtering pollutants from water runoff; and

Whereas, established trees and woodlands provide vital ecosystem services that sustain local food webs by providing food, nesting resources and shelter for urban wildlife; and

Whereas, strategically planting and caring for trees in our built environment can significantly reduce air temperatures, mitigating the impact of climate change on our physical health.

Now therefore, let it be known that the mayor and city council of the City of St. Louis Park do hereby proclaim May 14, 2026, as Arbor Day and the month of May 2026 as Arbor Month in St. Louis Park.

Let it further be known that we urge all citizens to support efforts that protect our trees and woodlands, and to support our city’s urban forestry program.