The public is invited to Lakewood Township’s Arbor Day celebration and tree plantings sponsored by the Lakewood Township and the Lakewood Shade Tree Commission, Friday, April 28, 2017, at 3:00 p.m., at the Larry D’Zio Park, Locust Street, Lakewood.

At the ceremony, with help from the Lakewood Public Works Department, officials will plant three Kwanzan cherry trees (Prunus Serrulata Kwanzan) in the park. Lakewood has been awarded “Tree City USA” for more than 30 years for its outstanding urban forestry.

The first celebration of Arbor Day in the United States took place in 1872. The holiday, held on the last Friday in April, was created to encourage individuals and groups to plant trees and realize their importance. Lakewood has embraced that concept, holding Arbor Day ceremonies and planting hundreds of trees over the years.

Craig J. Theibault, vice chairman of the Lakewood Shade Tree Commission, said, “You know what they say, ‘The best time to plant a tree is 30 years ago; the second best time is today.’”

Theibault, who holds a B. S. degree in Ornamental Horticulture from Delaware Valley College of Science and Agriculture, has been a member of the Ocean County Shade Tree Commission since 1992. Besides serving on the Shade Tree Commission locally, Theibault has also served as a member of the N.J. Community Forestry Council, a 20-member advisory board to the State Forester, since 1999.