Perfect day draws throngs to Eden Prairie’s Arbor Day celebration

Steve Silverman

girl in green jacket applies organic material to tree trunk for art project Amelia Wang, 9, uses clay and other organic materials to create a forest face as part of tree art activities at Eden Prairie’s Arbor Day celebration. Photos by Steve Silverman

Temperate weather and brilliant sunshine attracted a large crowd to Eden Prairie’s annual Arbor Day celebration Saturday, April 26, in Staring Lake Park.

Resources and recreation from trees were featured at the event. Eden Prairie Outdoor Center Supervisor Max Melby, left, displayed a bucket used to collect sap from maple trees in the park, which is then boiled into syrup. At right, Alissa Cotton climbed a tree under the guidance and supervision of the city’s forestry staff.

Activities included a seedling giveaway, tree sale, free compost, and information on gardening and tree-planting techniques. Tree climbing, making forest faces and other hands-on activities were popular among attendees.

Erika Commers, a forestry and natural resources specialist with Eden Prairie, conducted 15-minute tree walks during the event. City staff estimate that the oak at right, the site of a tree-climbing activity, is 160 to 200 years old.

young girl with fuzzy panda type headband smiles while playing with clay along a tree trunk in park setting

woman kneels next to Irish setter dog wearing green bandana that says EP
The Arbor Day celebration offered activities for kids and canines. Charlotte Jin, 8, came from Plymouth to enjoy the event, which included making forest faces. At right, Charlie, accompanied by owner Megan Perry, displays the bandanna he received at the festivities.

Leslie McDonald and Ollie Heineken purchased trees for the northern edge of their property along Purgatory Creek. They said it was the fifth or sixth time they had bought trees at the annual celebration.

Christina McDaniel was among those who received gardening information from the University of Minnesota Extension’s master gardeners. She plans to use that information to help her grow flowers and vegetables in planters this season.

Kids using markers to write and draw at table with checkered tablecloth outdoors

group of people and dog walking along trails in front of Parks and Recreation tents at Staring Lake Park for Arbor Day celebration

bearded man in green helmet suspended in harness against backdrop of sky and tree branches

man picks up a large bag of compost from pile of bagged compost; parking lot in background

mann at outdoor booth with display of images of various tree leaves speaks to man and woman at outdoor event

young man in yellow safety vest loads tree sapling onto trailer in parking lot at outdoor event

white fuzzy dog approaches camera while owner, in baseball cap and shorts, kneels behind

woman scans QR code at table at outdoor event

woman in blue-green sweater holds onto and looks at tree sapling in outdoor parking lot

Rainbow Treecare, which works with the city to treat more than 1,900 trees for emerald ash borer each year, provided information on its services. Informational tree walks, a bandanna giveaway for leashed dogs and art projects rounded out the activities.