Mayor Newhard: The Village of Trees: Arbor Day 2021

The Village of Warwick has had many descriptions over time. The Queen Village is the one we all know and reportedly the moniker came from a descriptive phrase in a speech by the Mayor of Goshen in the late 1800’s. Warwick was once called the Village of Homes referring to the beautiful residences in our community. It’s also been called the Green Village which rhymes with Queen and speaks of its parks, gardens as well as green practices and initiatives. I think of us as the Village of Trees especially at this time of year with so much blossoming and re-leafing going on. There is hardly a street or neighborhood that you don’t stop in your tracks at the breathtaking members of our family of remarkable trees. In fact, as part of our commitment to our community forest is our ongoing inventory of street trees so we can maintain them better and enhance tree diversity.

The Village has maintained its status as a Tree City participant for 37 years; we are in fact one of the oldest Tree Cities in the Hudson Valley. The Tree City Program is promoted by the Arbor Day Foundation and is administered statewide by the DEC Division of Forestry. Part of the criteria for being a Tree City is allocated funding based on population towards tree planting, maintenance, as well as promotional and educational activities. The Village has also been the recipient of annual growth awards for the past 21 years – the longest consistent awardee.

One of the most recent activities by the Village’s Shade Tree Commission is the creation of the Roger Metzger Arboretum in Stanley Deming Park. Over the past 5 years, we’ve been planting specimen trees. This year we hope to begin the construction of the pathway which will wind its way down the side of the park and give opportunities for new planting as well as allow the public to enjoy.

Rob Scheuermann Jr. is the Village’s Shade Tree Commissioner, and his knowledge and involvement has been an asset to expanding our urban forest. If you have a love for trees and are a Village resident, we are looking for some new members of the commission. If you are interested, have a background in horticulture, or just an admirer, lover of trees please send a short bio to clerk@villageofwarwick.org.

To residents throughout our Villages and Town, in honor of Arbor Day and with the real sense that the pandemic will soon be over, let’s plant trees that symbolize our hope. Let’s plant a reminder of our shared year of difficulty, loss, courage, and above all victory. Planting a tree connects us to the future which looks brighter every day!