Milwaukee City Wire

The City of Milwaukee’s Forestry Services and Milwaukee Public Schools came together to celebrate Arbor Day by planting trees at Reagan College Preparatory High School. The event, which took place on Friday, April 26, marked a continuation of a long-standing tradition.

Milwaukee Ald. Scott Spiker, representing the district where Reagan High School is located, highlighted the significance of tree planting, saying, “When we plant a tree today, we’re not just thinking about the shade it will provide us in a few years or the beauty it will offer our streetscapes. We’re thinking about the generations that will come after us who will benefit from the legacy of our actions."

Dr. Katrice Cotton, Chief School Administration Officer for Milwaukee Public Schools, emphasized the importance of the event, stating, “What the City of Milwaukee’s Department of Forestry Services is doing here today is so, so important. Milwaukee Public Schools treasures our longstanding partnership with the city and with Forestry Services. These trees today will beautify our Reagan campus, but they will do so much more — for our environment and for MPS students. This is truly an investment in the future.”

Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson presented a plaque made of wood salvaged from a felled city tree to Reagan Principal Mike Roemer in commemoration of Arbor Day. Two Reagan students participated in the ceremony, with Nailah Jones reading the city proclamation declaring April 26 as Arbor Day in Milwaukee, and Syd Voss discussing the school’s environmental science program.

The trees planted at Reagan High School include sugar maples, sassafras, serviceberry, river birch, and swamp white oak. Mayor Johnson mentioned that the city has received a $12 million federal grant to plant more trees throughout Milwaukee and ensure equitable access to the benefits of trees.

Milwaukee, a Tree City USA designee for the 45th consecutive year, maintains 189,000 street trees. The city’s Forestry Services grows trees at a city nursery in Franklin, with up to 20,000 trees being grown at a time.

The Arbor Day celebration at Reagan College Preparatory High School showcased the ongoing commitment of the City of Milwaukee and Milwaukee Public Schools to environmental stewardship and the well-being of students.