- December 14, 2025
City Manager Joyce Shanahan smiles with the rest of the attendees of the city's Arbor Tree celebration as they lift their shovels full of dirt to ceremonially plant the new live oak at the South Ormond Neighborhood Center.
Pam Cooper, volunteer at the Environmental Discovery Center, talks about the importance of trees during the city's Arbor Day celebration at the South Ormond Neighborhood Center on Jan. 19. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Leisure Services Director Robert Carolin opens the city's Arbor Day celebration at the South Ormond Neighborhood Center on Jan. 19. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Attendees gather to ceremoniously plant the new live oak during the city's Arbor Day celebration at the South Ormond Neighborhood Center on Jan. 19. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
City Manager Joyce Shanahan digs in to plant the new live oak during the city's Arbor Day celebration at the South Ormond Neighborhood Center on Jan. 19. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Though the national holiday is still three months away, the city of Ormond Beach celebrated its Arbor Day with the planting of a new tree at the South Ormond Neighborhood Center on Friday, Jan. 19.
This year is also Ormond Beach's 27th anniversary as a Tree City USA, which recognizes towns across the nation for their excellent tree care and dedication to making greener communities. City Manager Joyce Shanahan said trees are important to Ormond Beach, and that the city is glad to celebrate yet another Arbor Day.
“The quality of life in Ormond Beach, the sense of neighborhood, the sense of community, in large part comes from aesthetics which are our trees, how we maintain our parks and the value we have in that," Shanahan said.
The ceremonial planting of the new live oak tree at the South Ormond Neighborhood Center began with a proclamation declaring Jan. 19 as Arbor Day in Ormond Beach, which was delivered by Leisure Services Director Robert Carolin in place of Ormond Beach Mayor Bill Partington, who could not attend the event. His proclamation was followed by short speech by Pam Cooper, volunteer at the Environmental Discovery Center who talked about the importance of trees in our ecosystem.
“Arbor day is not just a day to celebrate what trees give us but also what they represent,” Cooper said.
