Parkersburg Tree Commission members Stacey Robinson, left, and John A. Sheets dig a hole for a yellow poplar tree to be planted as part of the city’s Arbor Day observance Friday at City Park. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

PARKERSBURG – The ceremonial planting of a yellow poplar tree Friday in City Park served to observe Arbor Day and cap off a week of additions to Parkersburg’s urban forest.

The city received a $13,554 grant from the West Virginia Division of Forestry and matched it with $13,554 from the city Tree Commission budget, Development Director Ryan Barber said. That allowed them to procure river birch, yellow poplar, dynamite crape myrtle, red rocket crape myrtle, silver maple and American sycamore trees from Dave’s Landscaping in McConnellsville, Ohio.

About half the trees were planted in City Park “and then the others are in Southwood Park and Point Park,” said Craig Minton, president of the Tree Commission and an assistant regional forester with the state Division of Forestry.

“We had the need because we’ve lost a lot of trees here in the park, and we wanted to replace the canopy,” he said.

Minton said the loss was related to the age of the trees as well as construction of the activity and recreation center in the park.

Parkersburg Tree Commission members John A. Sheets, left, and Stacey Robinson work to free up the roots of a yellow poplar tree being planted Friday in City Park in observance of Arbor Day. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

The grant-related plantings wrapped up on Friday, the same day the Tree Commission recognized Arbor Day by planting the yellow poplar. An official Arbor Day observance is one of the requirements for the city to maintain its Tree City USA designation from the Arbor Day Foundation. Others include having a tree commission and spending $2 per capita on tree care and maintenance.

“Everything kind of came together with the completion of this planting process,” Minton said.

Evan Bevins can be reached at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com.

Members of the Parkersburg Tree Commission pose for a photo with a Tree City USA banner and a yellow poplar to be planted in City Park Friday in recognition of Arbor Day. They are, from left, Betty Camp, Jordan Stewart, John A. Sheets, Stacey Robinson, City Councilwoman Wendy Tuck, commission President Craig Minton and Dan Hickman. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

Parkersburg Tree Commission member Jordan Stewart, right, a West Virginia Division of Forestry service forester, places some dirt back in the hole where a yellow poplar held by Tree Commission member Stacey Robinson is to be planted as commission member John A. Sheets watches Friday at City Park. (Photo by Evan Bevins)