Press Releases
04/24/2025
DEEP To Celebrate Arbor Day in Communities Across Connecticut
Join DEEP at Events Across the State on April 25 to Celebrate the Valuable Role Trees Play in Connecticut Communities
(HARTFORD) — The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is celebrating Arbor Day April 25th with communities across Connecticut and invites you to join us at any one of the many events planned around the state. Many municipalities celebrate Arbor Day as part of the Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree City Program. This national program recognizes cities across the United States for their dedication to growing, protecting, and maintaining urban and community forests. Connecticut boasts 24 Tree Cities, 4 Tree Campuses, and 4 Tree City Growth Awards this year. This list includes the Town of Fairfield and City of Stamford, which are tied for first place as the longest-standing Tree Cities in the state at 37 years.
“Trees are a critically important part of our ecosystem, playing a vital role in cleaning our air and water, and providing wildlife habitat,” said DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes. “Trees also are critically important in our fight against climate change, as healthy trees pull carbon out of our atmosphere, help slow storm surge and flooding, and can help cool our urban communities during hot summer days by up to 10 degrees. Ensuring equitable tree cover across our state is a priority of the Lamont Administration, and DEEP’s Urban and Community Forestry Program has been hard at work administering tree-planting grants and providing technical assistance to help our communities improve their tree cover.”
Connecticut is the fourteenth most forested state in the nation and has the most urban forest tree cover in the nation. Trees provide key benefits to Connecticut residents, ranging from heat and pollution mitigation to increased stormwater absorption and carbon storage. Since 2021, 37 Connecticut municipalities have received 78 Urban and Community Forestry grants totaling over $2 million to improve urban tree cover.
Arbor Day is a day for people to come together in recognition of the wonders of trees. Communities, schools, businesses, and individuals alike plant commemorative trees, hand out free trees, provide education on tree planting and care, and celebrate all the benefits trees provide. National Arbor Day always is celebrated on the last Friday in April, but many states observe Arbor Day on different dates throughout the year based on the best tree planting times in their area.
More information on the Tree City Program and Arbor Day events can be found on DEEP’s Tree Cities webpage.
More information on DEEP’s Urban and Community Forestry Program and grant opportunities can be found here.
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Contact
DEEP Communications
DEEP.communications@ct.gov
860-424-3110