On a sunny, temperate Thursday evening members of the North College Park Community joined with Department of Natural Resources (DNR) officials, representatives from the city of College Park, and leaders from the North College Park Community Association (NCPCA) to celebrate the planting of the new North College Park Community Tree. The Virginia pine had been planted on Arbor Day, April 28, 2023, but rain delayed the ceremony celebrating the planting until May 18.

Before the event began, local children were invited to make pine cone bird feeders at a table set up by the NCPCA. The ceremony commenced with the reading of the city Arbor Day proclamation by newly elected Mayor Fazlul Kabir, who also took the time to recognize the work of everyone in the local government and the community at large that went in to getting this tree planted. David Turley had spearheaded the idea of planting a community tree that could be decorated during holidays, and the NCPCA membership had voted on a preferred location for the tree following a presentation from Tree and Landscape Board member Catherine O’Brien.

City and DNR representatives read poems dedicated to the natural importance of trees and their power in the human imagination. A recitation of local tree-planting programs and a brief lesson on proper tree planting was given to encourage community members to plant trees on their own property.

The celebration concluded with children from the community hanging pine cone bird feeders they had made before the event from the boughs of the Virginia pine to encourage local wildlife to the site. Capable of growing to heights of 60 feet, it is hoped that the pine will become a center of community activity and interest as well as a habitat to local wildlife in years to come.