Austin Parks & Rec to host Arbor Day celebration

(ABC 6 News) — The Austin Parks & Recreation Department will be hosting an Arbor Day celebration at the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center Ruby Rupner Auditorium.

The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday May 10 as a chance for people to come together as a community and take meaningful action to protect and grow Austin’s community forest.

According to Austin Parks & Rec, the Emerald Ash Borer is killing ash trees across the city, and these trees make up one in every five trees in the community.

As a result, Austin Parks & Rec says planting and caring for trees is more important than ever, and residents can be part of the solution by adding trees to their yards and learning how to support a healthy community forest.

The Austin High School Go Green Club will be giving away more than 40 free trees with registration opening at 10:00 a.m..

The first round of tree giveaways is first come, first served while supplies last. The second opportunity to win a free tree will be presented to all who participate in the Free Tree Planting workshop at 10:30. The drawing for this will take place at 11:00 a.m. Each household is limited to one entry and may only win one tree.