Rochester Hills will get a little greener on Friday, April 28, as residents and volunteers gather to plant trees and celebrate the community’s outdoor 
engagement efforts at the annual Arbor Day Ceremony.
The annual Arbor Day event takes place on the historic grounds of Meadow Brook Hall and include a community workday to support the estate’s Woodland Entrance Restoration Program. Volunteers are needed to help clear invasive plants, brush and branches, spread woodchips and plant trees near the front entrance of the National Historic Landmark.
“Our strong tree canopy is one of the many reasons why people love Rochester Hills,” states Mayor Bryan K. Barnett. “We look forward to celebrating this important day at one of our city’s historical gems.”
Woodland clean-up and planting will begin at 1 p.m. Volunteers will learn about invasive species and how to properly plant a tree. The ceremony will take place at 3 p.m. and include an Arbor Day Proclamation by Mayor Bryan K. Barnett and a ceremonial tree planting. Participants will receive seedlings from the City of Rochester Hills.
The 2023 Arbor Day event was planned in partnership with Oakland University, the City of Rochester Hills and Sav-A-Tree.
Meadow Brook Hall is fully self-supporting, relying on special events, programs and touring for the preservation and interpretation of this National Historic Landmark. For more information, call (248) 364-6200 or visit meadowbrookhall.org.
For more information, visit meadowbrookhall.org/arborday.
Meadow Brook Hall is the historic home built by one of the automotive aristocracy’s most remarkable women, Matilda Dodge Wilson, widow of auto pioneer John Dodge, and her second husband, Alfred Wilson. Constructed between 1926 and 1929, Meadow Brook Hall represents one of the finest examples of Tudor-revival style architecture in America, and is especially renowned for its superb craftsmanship, architectural detailing and grand scale of 88,000 square-feet. It was the center of a country estate that included 1,400 acres, numerous farm buildings, recreational facilities, several residences and formal gardens. Named a National Historic Landmark in 2012, Meadow Brook Hall strives to preserve and interpret its architecture, landscape, and fine and decorative art so that visitors may be entertained, educated and inspired by history. Meadow Brook Hall is located in Rochester, Mich. on the campus of Oakland University.
About the Tree City USA program
Tree City USA is sponsored by the National Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters and the USDA Forest Service. Trees can be assets to a community when properly planted and maintained. They help to improve the visual appeal of a neighborhood or shopping district, increase property values, reduce home cooling costs, remove air pollutants, and provide wildlife habitat, among many other benefits.
