Norwalk celebrates Arbor Day with tree planting

NORWALK — With a new sapling planted at Norwalk's fire station on April 24, city officials combined both national Arbor Day and the upcoming 250-year anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on July 4. Standing in front of the new "Aeryn Trident" maple tree chosen by the city's Tree Board, Mayor Dave Light read a proclamation for the 2026 city Arbor Day and Norwalk's participation in the statewide America 250-Ohio celebration that will include a popular Buckeye State bicycle ride, among other celebrations. The 2026 Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure is highlighting the U.S. 250 corridor, with a kickoff June 20-21 in Norwalk. The route for hundreds of bicycle riders will focus on the area between Sandusky, which is the northwestern terminus of U.S. 250, and north central Ohio. Other host communities include Shelby, Wooster and Ashland. The 2026 Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure ends in Norwalk on June 27. With U.S. 250 traversing Milan Avenue, League Street, Whittlesey Avenue and Benedict Avenue, Light noted that the new tree's placement on the fire-station lawn "is the perfect location" to commemorate both Arbor Day and the 250th anniversary of signing the Declaration of Independence.