The Village of East Hills has been named a 2025 Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation, recognizing its ongoing commitment to planting, maintaining and preserving trees throughout the community.
The designation was highlighted during an Arbor Day celebration in the Park at East Hills, where village officials and volunteers gathered to mark the occasion and plant an Eastern Redbud near the Sixth Police Precinct.
“This is a great honor for us and we’re very happy to have this,” Mayor Michael Koblenz said. “Not many villages have this.”
The Arbor Day Foundation is a global nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees. The group’s Tree City USA program recognizes communities that meet standards including maintaining a tree board, investing in tree care and maintenance, and holding an annual Arbor Day celebration.
Fanny Boneh, an East Hills resident and member of the village’s tree board, said the designation reflects years of work already underway in the community.
“It was very important for us as a village to become an official Tree City,” Boneh said. “Arbor Day celebrates the beautification of outdoor spaces through tree planting, and I think it encourages people to appreciate the environment that trees provide.”
Boneh said the Park at East Hills, a central community gathering space, was a key focus of the effort.
“It’s really important because we have a huge park, and without the trees I don’t feel like the park would be as special as it is,” she said.
Park Director Dave Squillante also emphasized the role trees play in the community space.
“Arbor Day is a reminder to appreciate how much trees add to our lives,” Squillante said. “We’re lucky that The Park at East Hills gives the community a place to gather, relax and enjoy their beauty.”
Source: LI Press
