The Town of Farmville Tree Board has announced a three-fold celebration of Arbor Day for 2012. This year the Board is partnering with the Virginia Department of Forestry, the Heart of Virginia Master Gardeners, and Wal-Mart to bring Arbor Day activities that help to increase awareness of how important trees are to our everyday lives.

First, there will be a tree seedling give-away on Saturday, March 31, at the Farmville Wal-Mart in front of the garden center entrance from 9 a.m. until noon. The Tree Board plans to offer the following seedlings: American Plum, Kousa Dogwood, Norway Spruce, Redbud, and White Oak. The tree seedlings are made available through the Virginia Department of Forestry, Vaughan-Bassett Furniture Company, and our local Master Gardeners. They will be packaged locally for distribution by Boy Scout Troop 6516 from St. John's Lutheran Church in Farmville and the Heart of Virginia Master Gardeners.

Second, the Town's Tree Board is inviting all interested persons to participate in a Tree Photo Contest. This marks the fourth year that the Board has held a tree photo contest in connection with Arbor Day. All photos should feature one or more trees as the main subject and only one photo per person may be submitted. All pictures must have been taken after January 1, 2010. Entries may be submitted by email (preferred method), mail, or in person. Official entry form and contest rules can be found on the Town of Farmville website: www.farmvilleva.com. The entry deadline is 4:30 p.m. on Monday, April 16.

The contest has three categories: 1) ages 11 and younger, 2) ages 12-17, and 3) adult category. The contest is open to everyone living in Farmville, Prince Edward County, or any county bordering Prince Edward County (Amelia, Appomattox, Buckingham, Charlotte, Cumberland, Lunenburg, and Nottoway). Only the judges and members of the Town of Farmville Tree Board are ineligible to enter. Up to three prizes will be awarded in each category.

Third, the Heart of Virginia Master Gardeners and Town of Farmville are conducting a Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop, open to the public, on Saturday, February18, at 1 p.m. at the Southside Virginia Family YMCA at 580 Commerce Road, Farmville. The workshop will begin indoors before proceeding outside to the orchard area. Bring a pair of hand-held pruning shears and come dressed for outdoor conditions. The orchard was planted by volunteers at the YMCA in 2010 as part of the “Communities Take Root” program sponsored by Edy's Fruit Bars and the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation. Again in 2011 Edy's and the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation planted a second orchard in the town of Farmville – this one in conjunction with Zynga's on-line virtual FarmVille game.

The Town of Farmville Tree Board invites the public to participate in any or all three of these 2012 Arbor Day activities. The Board is made up of five people from the community (Nan Colvin, Mike Lafoon, Patrick Murphy, Katie Register, and Chris Rogers) and operates under the direction of the Town Horticulturist David Fowlkes.