In celebration of Arbor Day, the Town of Farmville will give away tree seedlings on Saturday morning, March 23, from 9 until noon at the garden center entrance of the Farmville Walmart. The Arbor Day tree give-away is made possible through the combined efforts of the Town of Farmville Tree Board, the Heart of Virginia Master Gardeners, the Virginia Department of Forestry, and a grant from Vaughan-Bassett Furniture Company.

The varying dates for Arbor Day can sometimes be confusing, because there is National Arbor Day, State Arbor Day, and sometimes a local Arbor Day. Each municipality is free to choose its own date for any particular year. Such is the case here. Virginia's Arbor Day this year is on April 26; however, the Town of Farmville Tree Board chose March 23 because the month of March is usually more suitable than April for planting dormant, bare-root trees.

The following trees will be available in limited quantities for pick-up on that day: Norway Spruce (Picea abies), Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra), Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum), Southern Crabapple (Malus angustifolia), Common Apple (Malus pumila). White Oak (Quercus alba), only a very few available.

Arbor Day is not just for planting trees. It is an opportunity to reflect on the important role that trees play in our lives. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from our sometimes polluted air and release essential oxygen. The tree canopy reduces the intensity of wind at ground level and cools the air with its shade. The tree canopy also reduces soil compaction and erosion by diminishing the impact of heavy rains on the ground surface. Tree leaf canopy together with the tree's network of roots reduces rapid runoff of rain into our streams which can cause flooding and other problems.

Trees, whether a single specimen or an entire forest, provide beauty, interest, and variety to our everyday world. Trees provide life-sustaining habitat to countless animals and birds, insects, and other plant life. Trees also define particular spaces in our mind and memory. If, for instance, you were to return to your childhood home and all the trees were gone, nothing would seem familiar.

“As new construction and highways chip away at our forests and agricultural land, we must appreciate and protect our natural areas and green spaces. We must continue to plant trees and other plants to compensate for the loss. On this Arbor Day, and every day for that matter, be grateful for our trees,” a spokesperson said.