Programs

Arbor Day

Arbor Day, is celebrated each year on the fourth Friday in April. Each year the Rensselaer Urban Forestry Council hosts an Arbor Day Celebration. We join with the city government to plant at least one tree to commemorate the day and celebrate trees. We then hand out a selection of wonderful seedlings (baby trees) free to event attendees. We will post a flier around town and details about the location on our website before the event date in April.

Arbor Day was established in Nebraska in 1872 by J. Sterling Morton, a newspaper editor who recognized the need for trees to act as windbreaks, provide shade, and supply building materials on the relatively treeless plains. On the very first Arbor Day, an estimated one million trees were planted in Nebraska. The concept quickly spread, and it is now celebrated globally. You can learn more about the Arbor Day Foundation by clicking here. 

Our Planting Program

Through grants and volunteers Rensselaer Urban Forestry, RUFC has developed a city nursery to hold a volume of seedlings and tree stock in preparation for planting. We use our TreeKeeper inventory to develop planting plans and each year we add a number of trees to our parks, cemeteries, and city verges on residential and commercial property.

Tree Care Manual and other Publishing

Rensselaer Urban Forestry publishes an extensively researched Tree Care Manual containing best practices for planting and caring for trees in our local urban environment. The manual includes recommendations for selecting the right location, planting and maintenance instructions, recommendations for trees ideal for our area, a list of invasive species, and instructions for watering and mulching. It also includes city ordinances related to the care, planting, and removal of trees in the city limits. Funded by the USDA Forestry Service and Indiana DNR.

National Love a Tree Day & Hug A Tree Photo Contest

May 16th is National Love a Tree Day! To celebrate, Rensselaer Urban Forestry runs a a Hug A Tree Photo Contest each year in April and May ending on May 16th. This contest is open to all individuals, local businesses, and organizations with a small entry fee! In 2025 and 2026 the employees of Rensselaer Pet Care won the drawing. Updated details will be added to the RUFC Calendar during the contest.

How to enter: 

• Submit a photo of you or your employees hugging a tree or gathered around a tree. The tree can be at your business or someplace else in town.

• Text you photo with your name or the name of your business to 219-866-5904

• Photos will be posted to our Facebook with your name and a link to your business Facebook or website.

• The photos will be displayed at Cup of Joy, Too for their customers to see.

• One winner will be randomly drawn from all entries. The winner will have a tree planted at their business, or at Weston Cemetery, or a city park. Choices of tree are hickory, oak, or sycamore.

• Entry fee in 2026 was $25. Checks payable to RUFC and mailed to: RUFC, PO Box 23, Rensselaer, IN 47978.