Clinton holds library Arbor Day event as part of its Tree City designation
Boys and Girls Club members and Arbor Day participants hold up the Clinton Tree City USA flag at the Arbor Day celebration.
Katherine Birkbeck shared the history of the Terrapin Hill Project, led by the Clinton High Youth Board and Historic Downtown Clinton, consisting of a story board along the walkway in front of the library and the planting of a dozen flowering cherry trees in the same area.
Students from the Boys and Girls Club of the Tennessee Valley read the story of Townie Terrapin, whose history of Clinton (told from a terrapin’s point of view) is related in the story board panels.
The author of the story board, Ray Oliver, was in attendance for the celebration.
Afterward, Burton read and signed a proclamation establishing Oct. 29, 2025, as Arbor Day in Clinton.
Alex Bremner, Tennessee Division of Forestry, presented the city with its certificate of recognition as a Tree City USA for 2024 from the National Arbor Day Foundation and the state of Tennessee.
It marked the eighth-consecutive year that the city has earned recognition as a Tree City USA.
To be recognized as a Tree City USA, communities must meet four criteria during the calendar year: They must have a tree ordinance in effect; have a tree board, or similar body, in place; spend at least $2 per capita on tree planting or maintenance; and celebrate Arbor Day at some time during the year.
The Boys and Girls Club students then helped with the planting of a Yellow Poplar tree in front of the library, under the supervision of Seth Whitehouseh, UT extension agent for Anderson County.
Then the students helped Burton raise the Tree City USA flag at the library.