Officials from the City of Scranton and the Scranton School District gathered today, Friday, April 26, 2024, at the interior courtyard of West Scranton High School, 1201 Luzerne St., in recognition of Arbor Day.
“We encourage Scranton kids to be environmental stewards of the future,” said Scranton Mayor Paige G. Cognetti. “I’m so pleased to join the Scranton School District for today’s tree planting and look forward to seeing their plans for the West Scranton High School courtyard come to fruition over the coming years.”
At West Scranton High, Mayor Cognetti joined Superintendent Dr. Erin Keating in helping to plant some of the dozen trees and three shrubs purchased by Scranton’s Shade Tree Commission. The goal of staff, including longtime teacher Anne McNally, is to have the courtyard recognized as a state-certified arboretum. If that process is successful, it will be used as an environmental and creative arts space. Students will receive instruction on the proper care and pruning of all of the native and non-native, non-invasive plant species.
“The Scranton School District is thrilled to begin the process of recognizing the West Scranton High Courtyard as a state-certified arboretum,” Superintendent Keating said. “The work that Anne McNally has put into this project is nothing short of incredible and we are grateful to the City of Scranton, Mayor Cognetti, and the Shade Tree Commission for their help in making this first step possible. The arboretum will not only be a learning opportunity for our students, but also contribute to a greener Scranton.”
In an October 2010 report from the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Scranton had approximately 1.2 million trees with canopies covering about 22 percent of the City. The urban forest here removes approximately 65 tons of pollutants each year and stores more than 93,000 tons of carbon that would otherwise cause potential environmental harm.
According to the Arbor Day Foundation, Scranton has been recognized as a Tree City USA community for the last 11 years, with other recognitions occurring as early as 1986. The Tree City USA program was founded in 1976 to celebrate towns and cities committed to growing their urban canopy, and it has helped more than 3,600 communities across the country build out their urban forests.
ABOUT THE CITY OF SCRANTON: Incorporated in 1866, the City of Scranton has a population of approximately 76,000 residents and is the sixth-largest municipality in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Scranton City Hall is located at 340 N. Washington Ave., Scranton, PA 18503. Residents requiring services should visit www.scrantonpa.gov.
Last modified: April 29, 2024
