Green Thumbs: Lynchburg Parks & Recreation Plans Weeklong Celebration

Weeklong-themed events are not just for high school spirit weeks. Lynchburg Parks & Recreation’s Week of Green is celebrating both Earth Day and Arbor Day through service, education and community. 

The department will host programs and classes throughout the week to celebrate different aspects of nature, environmental sustainability, solar power and water resources. Lynchburg Parks & Recreation partnered with Lynchburg Water Resources and Lynchburg Public Works, Urban Forester, for the event.

Students and participants can serve alongside Lynchburg Parks & Recreation during Serve Lynchburg at the kickoff event April 23 by helping plant 250 trees at Peaks View Park. They can also help at the wrap-up event April 30 with set up and clean up as well as to help run the event. 

Hannah Rathje, senior recreation specialist with Lynchburg Parks & Recreation’s naturalist division, appreciates the opportunity Earth Day provides for environmental education.

“Our goal is to get people outside and enjoy their environment, while also striving to protect it and become a part of it,” Rathje said.

Lynchburg Parks & Recreation wanted to make this year’s event big for Lynchburg’s 40th year designated as a Tree City by the Tree City U.S.A. organization. The Arbor Day Foundation runs the Tree City U.S.A. program to encourage the enjoyment of trees and the benefits they provide. The original plan for the event was to celebrate Arbor Day, but now it is combined with Earth Day to create a weeklong event. 

The event will kick off with a day of planting trees at Peaks View Park to create a riverside buffer that will minimize damages due to flooding. 

The programs throughout the week are for all ages, from toddlers to adults. These programs include a rain barrel workshop to save rainwater for watering gardens, a “build a toad abode” activity to create a backyard home for toads and a tree steward interest meeting, hosted by Lynchburg Tree Stewards, for those interested in how trees benefit the community. 

The event will end with a wrap-up celebration April 30 with artists, educators, live music and food trucks. 

Beyond Week of Green, students are invited to get involved with Lynchburg Parks & Recreation by volunteering and interning, such as for their summer camp, summer program and animal care internships. Students can learn more about how to volunteer and participate in Week of Green at  lynchburgparksandrec.com/ or follow them on Instagram @lynchburgparksandrec.

Marsden is a feature reporter.