Vince Seiwert accepting the Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year Award from State Forester Patty Cormier (photo courtesy of Jim Britt/Maine Forest Service)
From May 15th through May 21st, members of Maine’s forest community came together to celebrate Arbor Week. Since 1978, the third week of May has been designated to this celebration of the planting, tending, and protection of trees. As the most heavily forested state in the continental US, it only makes sense that instead of having a single “Arbor Day” as many other states do, this event takes place over the span of 7 days in Maine.
Arbor Week is a fantastic opportunity to plant seedlings and saplings, tend to the mature trees on your own property, or simply sit under a budding tree canopy with a good book. However, it also serves as a time to recognize exemplary members of the forest community that help to keep Maine’s woodlands beautiful and healthy. As such, on May 16th, folks gathered at the Viles Arboretum in Augusta, ME for the 2022 Arbor Week Celebration and Awards Ceremony. Here, attendees got to hear from guest speakers Commissioner Amanda Beal, Director of the Maine Forest Service Patty Cormier, and Viles Arboretum Executive Director Ryan Martin.
After the opening remarks, two awards were presented for outstanding members of the Maine Tree Farm Program. First, the 2022 Maine Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year was presented to Vince Seiwert of Bombadil Tree Farms in Ashland, ME. This was followed by the 2022 Hancock County Tree Farm of the Year, presented to Great Pond Mountain Conservation Trust in Orland, ME. Awards were also presented for the 2021 Tree Campus and Tree City USA awards run through the Arbor Day Foundation.
We at Maine TREE hope that everyone had a fantastic Arbor Week, and encourage you to continue the celebration of Maine’s forests throughout the year by planting trees, engaging in outdoor learning, educating yourself on how to be a good steward of the woods, or simply by spending time in nature.
