DOVER – Delaware Forest Service celebrated Arbor Day April 29 with a tree planting surrounding the Peters Scout Camp/Peters Tract at Blackbird State Forest, along with our 2023 Arbor Day Poster Contest winners and their families.

With support from the Forest Initiative Fund, this tree planting is part of a reforestation project that encompasses the Delaware Forest Service’s goals of sustainable forestry.

The 2023 Arbor Day Poster Contest winners, their families, Gov. John Carney, state cabinet members, and community volunteers planted over 1,400 seedlings.

Tree seedling species included:

• Baldcypress
• Black cherry
• Black walnut
• Possomhaw
• Redbud
• Red cedar
• Serviceberry
• Shagbark hickory
• Silky Dogwood
• Spice bush
• Yellow poplar
• North red oak
• White oak

Reforestation allows for accelerated development of forested ecosystems following natural disturbance events, such as wildfire, wind events, and insect and disease infestations, or planned timber harvests.

This practice allows trained foresters to use silviculture practices to help develop forest structure and species composition to provide for wildlife habitat, clean and abundant water, forest wood products, soil stabilization, and recreational opportunities. Reforestation also addresses emerging issues dealing with climate change by conserving and managing tree genetic diversity and sequestering carbon to counter greenhouse emissions.

The goal of the Forest Initiative Fund program is to provide sustainability to forests through afforestation and reforestation efforts that are managed by professionals through partnerships with landowners and agencies.

Gov. Carney issued an Arbor Day Proclamation, making the event the 151st Arbor Day Celebration.

Featured speakers included Education Secretary Dr. Mark Holodick, Agriculture Secretary Michael T. Scuse, DNREC Secretary Shawn Garvin, and Delaware State Forester Kyle Hoyd.

Assistant Director of Transportation Engineering Brian Urbanek was also present to represent DelDOT.

With the recent retirement of Dr. Michael Valenti, the Arbor Day celebration also presented the opportunity for Kyle Hoyd to be formally sworn in as the Delaware Forest Service’s ninth Forestry Administrator.

Community volunteers and student groups included Odessa High School FFA, Polytech High School Environmental Science Class, Boy Scouts of America Troop 239, Cub Scout Pack 239 and Girl Scouts of Chesapeake Bay Troop 778.

The theme of this year’s Arbor Day Poster Contest is “Trees are Terrific…In All Shapes and Sizes!” Lyla Jones, a second-grader from Brandywine Springs Elementary School in Wilmington, is the 2023 Overall State Winner.

To view all the 2023 winners and complete gallery, visit de.gov/arbordaypostercontest.