The last Friday of April is always Arbor Day, a day for planting trees. Once again this year, Branford's Community Forest Commission's (CFC) annual Arbor Day celebration will carry an eco-friendly message. The commission will plant a native tree and hand out the CFC Eco-Friendly Award to a Branford business or entity incorporating native plantings in local landscapes.

The CFC works year-round to help the town protect and increase its tree inventory. Right now, CFC is also working to get word out that the commission is seeking nominations for the 2017 CFC Eco-Friendly Award. Nominations are being accepted now through April 1, 2017 and awardees will be named during this year's Abor Day planting event (details to be announced).

CFC's annual Eco-Friendly Award recognizes businesses and others demonstrating environmentally friendly landscaping designs or planting native species to support native pollinators, butterflies, birds and other wildlife.

"We want to get the message out about restoring natives to the area and we also want to recognize businesses or entities that do the right thing when it comes to nature," said CFC chairperson Shirley McCarthy.

In 2016, during an Arbor Day tree planting of a native Eastern White Pine at Branford High School, CFC bestowed its inaugural Eco-Friendly Awards on Landscape Architect Larry Appelton and Civil Engineer Robert Criscuolo, who both practice in Branford.

Whether CFC is involved with planting a tree on Arbor Day or any other day, one of the commission's priorities is working to sustain and increase the number of native trees in Branford, said McCarthy. 

McCarthy is a tireless advocate for the reintroduction and protection of native species. She notes native plantings are critical to local wildlife because they support indigenous pollinators, insects and birds.

But Branford, like many communities, is deluged with foreign plants that don't contribute to this important chain. McCarthy said the prevalence of "pretty" plants – including many types of ornamental grasses, flowers, shrubs and trees -- are invading local gardens and landscapes. The plants may be attractive, but native birds and other fauna aren't adapted to them. By comparison, native plantings support local fauna in ways such as attracting the type of insects which make up 90 percent of numerous native bird diets.

"The problem with our landscaping is that most of it is now made up of ornamentals, such as trees from Asia," said McCarthy. "Our wildlife is not adapted to that, so they're actually starving. Nursery plants typically have no value to insects and wildlife. You might as well be planting plastic. When you plant a native tree, you can bring birds back to an urban or suburban environment."

Tree planting, especially native trees, takes planning. The Town of Branford's Tree Warden, Diana Ross, plans Branford's municipal tree planting and works with CFC to consider all possibilities. Ross said the town's goal is to try to replace trees with natives whenever possible, given limitations which arise in some cases -- such as street planting space and other constraints. 

Since 2009, Branford has been listed as a "Tree City USA" by the National Arbor Day Foundation, and, through the years, Ross has helped bring multiple "America the Beautiful" grants to town to plant trees. In 2016, Branford received a $3,700 grant and Branford was recently approved for a $5,590 grant for 2017, said Ross.

To learn more about which native plants can help area wildlife, go to the Inland Wetlands-Natural Resources Department page on the Town of Branford website here  To nominate a Branford business or other entity for a 2017 CFC Eco-friendly Award, please submit names of nominees  by email to miniripley@aol.com by April 1, 2017.