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VALLEY — On Saturday morning, members of the City of Valley Tree Board will celebrate the city being a Tree City USA member with an annual tree giveaway for city residents.

“We have over 300 small trees and pink knockout roses to give away this year,” said Tree Board President Suzie Britt. “We have gotten them from Ponder’s Nursery, and they include pear, crabapple and peach trees along with the pink roses. We will start giving them away at 8 a.m., and they should be gone pretty quickly. It’s a good idea to be there before 8 a.m. We are asking people to have their ID with them to show that they live within the city.”

People who arrive early can enter a drawing for two larger trees that will be given away.

City Arborist James Jackson will be there along with Tree Board members Suzie Britt and Bonnie Bonner to give away the trees.

Britt said that Jackson does a good job of monitoring the health of trees in the city and determining when they need to be brought down.

“When a mature tree is brought down, we always plant new trees in that same location,” Britt said. “Over the years, we have planted trees at local schools, the Community Center and along Fob James Drive. The Tree Board planted the crepe myrtles that bloom there now every summer. We are planning to plant some weeping willows along Moore’s Creek in Valley when an erosion project is finished there.”

Langdale has long been known for the willow trees growing along Moore’s Creek. Planting new ones will keep a tradition going.

The Tree Board will also be planting trees along Valley Industrial Boulevard in the city’s new industrial park.

“That’s our next project,” Britt said. “We are proud to be a Tree City and will be celebrating that in Saturday’s tree giveaway.”

There are more than 3,400 member cities of Tree City USA. There are four requirements for membership: (1) the city has a tree board or department, (2) the city must have an ordinance for tree care, (3) there must be a community forestry program with an annual budget and (4) the city must have an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.