The Arboretum gears up to host a Party for the Planet

LEXINGTON, Ky., (Mar 21, 2012)

The Arboretum, on the campus of the University of Kentucky in Lexington, is partnering with LG&E and KU Energy LLC to offer a month-long celebration called Party for the Planet 2012, with activities for all ages March 22 through the Arbor Day celebration, April 28.

 

Festivities begin with Tammy Horn’s lecture “Native Flowers, Shrubs and Trees Attractive to Honey Bees.”Horn is an apiculturist and professor at Eastern Kentucky University. The lecture will begin at 7 p.m. March 22 at UK’s Gluck Equine Research Center Auditorium, 1400 Nicholasville Road in Lexington.

The fun continues with a weeklong spring break camp for ages 7 through 11 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. April 2-6. Campers will uncover mysteries of The Arboretum with fun, hands-on activities. Lessons will focus on plants and animals with an emphasis on water quality, waste reduction and renewable energy resources.

On April 13- and 14, The Arboretum will host Project Learning Tree training. Project Learning Tree is a program of the American Forest Foundation. It is an environmental education program for educators of students from pre-K through 12^th grade, providing educators with tools, training and resources to bring the environment into their classrooms and their students into the environment.

Family Tree Day is April 14 at 11 a.m. in the Kentucky Children’s Garden at The Arboretum, where children and adults can learn about the complexities of trees and how to plant one and even take home a sapling to watch grow.

On April 15, docent Karen Miner and Tim Query, urban forester with the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, will lead a free walk at The Arboretum featuring native trees of Kentucky.

Esther Moberly of Lexington’s  waste management department will present a Composting at Home workshop on April 17 at 6 p.m. where she will show visitors how to build, maintain and operate a home composting system. Registration is free and participants will get a green kitchen compost bin.

Pruning is important to keep trees and shrubs healthy. On April 18 at 5:30 p.m. David Leonard and Todd Rounsaville will conduct a free, hands-on workshop about the do’s and don’ts of pruning.

April 21 is the date for this year’s Spring Plant Sale. Special perennials and  native plants will be offered for sale. Experts in the field will be present to give advice on gardening topics.

The month’s events will culminate with the Arbor Day celebration April 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The theme of Arbor Day 2012 is Trees: Environmental Champions. The celebration will include a reading of the Arbor Day proclamation presentation of the Tree Campus to UK, a tree planting with KU representatives, more than 40 exhibitors in a tent, guided native tree hikes, a tree seedling adoption and free admission to the Kentucky Children’s Garden from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Also planned is a presentation of the Tree Campus to UK. As of Jan. 1, UK is recognized as a Tree Campus. Tree Campus USA is a new program sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation and funded by Toyota, which works in cooperation with state programs and universities to ensure that campus trees are being properly cared and managed. UK is one of fewer than 300 universities in the nation recognized as a Tree Campus. 

With a special passport attendees can visit four tree stations manned by UK College of Agriculture forestry students to learn about roots, leaf transpiration, habitats and tree products.

Children can enjoy a puppet show, live animals and craft activities. Look for guests Smokey Bear, Rosie Recycler and KU’s Louie Lightning Bug. The event is free thanks to presenting sponsor KU, sponsors Lexmark and Kentucky American Water and supporters Big Beaver Tree Service, LFUCG Tree Board, LFUCG Environmental Commission and Dave Leonard, tree specialist. 

Contact: Marcia Farris, 859-257-6955

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