Branford celebrated Arbor Day on Friday, April 26, with environmentally-minded third graders at Tisko Elementary School, where the town has planted several new trees.

Tikso’s third-grade curriculum suppports STEM learning including environmental science studies, said Tisko STEM teacher Nicole Cosgrove.

“We’ve been teaching them the importance of trees and the ways they support our environment, and since they were planting these trees, we thought it would be great to have the kids be involved,” said Cosgrove.

On April 26, four third-grade classes and their teachers, together with Tisko principal Jim O’Connor, gathered at a young sycamore tree recently installed beside school property on Christopher Road.

O’Connor said Tisko students have been discussing Earth Day and Arbor Day and ways to be good citizens to the environment in many ways, including cleaning up the school property and enjoying the newly added trees.

“This is part of being a good citizen and helping the environment, and it’s really important for us to know the people that help us do these types of things,“ said O’Connor, who also shared with the students that their STEM teacher is also married to Branford’s first selectman, who was there to join the event and speak with the students.

“The planting of the trees is an effort not only to beautify your school, but it also has a very part ensuring that we have a healthy environment. Trees provide so much benefit to us,” said Cosgrove.

Cosgrove also noted Branford is now in its 14th year of being designated as a Tree City USA. As a designated Tree City USA, the Town also receives some support to fund its tree program through a grant provided by the Arbor Day Foundation.

“Every year we celebrate Arbor Day and reaffirm our commitment to planting trees throughout our community,“ said Cosgrove.

Cosgrove recognized Branford Tree Warden Gary Zielinski, who is also Branford’s Public Works supervisor, and the crew of Branford Public Works Department for their work to install trees throughout town.

“Every year at this time of year, they plant around 50 trees throughout town,” Cosgrove said. “They also care for them and maintain all the trees that are town-owned along our streets and public spaces, to make sure they thrive.”

Cosgrove also thanked members of the Community Forest Commission in attendance, for helping Branford to be good stewards of its Town tree. Additionally, he recognized Branford Parks and Recreation Director Alex Palluzzi Jr. for his department’s dedication to providing environmentally-concious recreational spaces for residents. Cosgrove also thanked Craig Oveson, also known as “Craig the Butterfly Man” for attending and sharing details on the importance of trees to creatures including his special area of service and concern, the monarch butterfly.

Tisko third-grader Kaylani Benbow read an Arbor Day proclamation from the Town. Her teacher, Lori Werth, said it was a great opportunity for her students to see some a topic they’ve been learning about enacted in their community.

“We’ve been talking about Earth Day and they’ve been learning how to protect the environment and conserve, and we’ve been talking about how healthy trees are for our environment, and what we can do to help the earth, like practicing reducing, reusing and recycling,” said Werth.

Zielinski said a total of nine trees have been installed along Christopher Road, including three sycamores fronting Tisko, as well as four red maple trees and two linden trees on the road, which intersects with Damascus Road. The area was one of several areas that suffered severe tree loss and damage during the tornado-fueled storm which struck Branford in 2020.