The City of Erie celebrated Arbor Day by planting a Black Gum Tupelo tree in East Perry Square. 

The tree honors Erie's ecological past while also acknowledging the challenges we could face in the future.

The Black Gum Tupelo is heat tolerant, adapts better to a warming climate than other native trees, and can handle flooding and minor droughts. The trees have straight trunks, horizontal limbs, small greenish-white spring flowers, that are a great source of nectar for bees, and leaves that provide fall color. 

The City of Erie has received the designation of Tree City USA for the 19th year in a row thanks to the work of the City of Erie Urban Forest Committee. The recognition honors the City for its work in 2024 to plant new trees. 

The Erie County Blasco Library is celebrating Arbor Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 26.