Arbor Day in Menasha serves as a pushback to endangered trees
All of this comes as a backdrop to actions by the new Trump administration, who recently issued an executive order that would boost logging in national forests and roll back federal environmental regulations on 112 million acres of forest land throughout the United States, including in Wisconsin.
Citizens joined civic and state leaders on Arbor Day on Friday, April 25, to celebrate Menasha’s 42nd year as a “Tree City USA” community.
“(Trees) bring beauty and peace to everyday life, increase property values, strengthen our local economy, and remind us of our connection to the natural world,” Menasha mayor Austin Hammond said in his opening comments. “More importantly, trees play a vital role in addressing the adverse effects of climate change.”
Newly elected state senator Kris Dassler-Alfheim echoed Hammond’s sentiments, saying trees are good for the soul.
“Arbor Day is a beautiful thing,” Dassler-Alfheim proclaimed. “What makes it even better is how Menasha embraces it. They have invested themselves and the community in the belief that trees do us good. And that is true for science. It is true for society.”
A representative of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources presented the 2024 Tree City flag to Hammond. To qualify as a ‘Tree City USA’ community, a municipality must meet standards that ensure a viable tree management program. Requirements include a tree leadership team, appropriate policy, a maintenance budget and a yearly celebration of Arbor Day.
“The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago,” Hammond said. “The next best time is today.”
Clockwise, from top left: Former Menasha state representative Lee Snodgrass showed up for Arbor Day in Menasha, stating, 'You can't take the Menasha out of the rep'; State Senator Kris Dassler-Alfheim breaks ground for one of 30 new trees; Menasha mayor Austin Hammond delivers opening comments; The banner proclaiming Menasha a 'Tree City.'
And so they did. Following the ceremony, community volunteers, along with city employees, planted 30 trees as a kickoff to the Water Street Corridor project. Governor Evers allocated $2.1 million for the project, which will also include shoreline restoration, amenity enhancements, pedestrian walkways and bike trails.
Former Menasha mayor Don Merkes and State Representative Lee Snodgrass also attended.
Snodgrass represented Menasha before the 2024 redistricting but still felt the need to be on hand.
“You can take the rep out of Menasha, but you can’t take Menasha out of the rep,” she said.
The current representative for Menahsa, Dean Kaufert, did not attend but was on hand for the Neenah ceremony.
In his Arbor Day proclamation, Governor Evers recognized the more than four decades Wisconsin has celebrated Arbor Day, stressing the importance of trees to the health of Wisconsin and the world, and reinforced Wisconsin's Trillion Tree pledge to plant 100 million trees by 2030.
All of this comes as a backdrop to actions by the new Trump administration, who recently issued an executive order that would boost logging in national forests and roll back federal environmental regulations on 112 million acres of forest land throughout the United States, including in Wisconsin. Other executive orders would allow the sale of federal land to developers and increase mining.
“What I enjoy most about this day is the renewed commitment each and every year to making our community a better place, one tree at a time,” Hammond said afterward. “Being environmental stewards of our environment is vitally important.”
According to the Wisconsin DNR, trees clean our air and water, provide habitat for wildlife, connect communities, and support our health and well-being. A single tree absorbs a ton of carbon in its first 40 years and intercepts 1,000 gallons of rainwater annually.
