MEMORIAL TREES for VETERANS
Planting a tree has long been a symbol to establish a remembrance for a loved one. The Town of Abingdon, in partnership with the Board of Directors of Veterans Memorial Park Foundation of Abingdon/Washington Country, VA, Inc., has established a program that will give the family and friends of United States Military Veterans the opportunity to have a tree planted in honor of a veteran at Veterans Memorial Park. Any honorably discharged or deceased United States Military Veteran is eligible for a memorial tree to be planted in his or her honor. Trees will be planted in accordance with the master plan for the development of the park. This program will not only provide family and friends a long-lasting memorial to honor our veterans, but will also help fill the park with beautiful trees for the future, help improve our environment and provide an educational experience for the park’s visitors.
Family and friends wishing to participate will be able to choose from a pre-determined tree size category (please see below). The Tree Commision will then select and plant a specific tree species or variety based on the size category selected by the purchaser which will promote a healthy, diverse tree population in the park and be in accordance with the park’s master plan. Depending on the species selected, most of the new trees will be a minimum of one inch in diameter at the time of planting. Trees will be planted according to proper planting methods and cared for by the Town of Abingdon. The Veterans Memorial Park Foundation will place a plaque near the tree which will include the common and botanical name, and other information about the tree, along with the name, rank, branch of service, and other information about the veteran.
An order form to purchase a memorial tree is attached by clicking on the CLICK HERE BUTTON below. Payment must be made at the time of making the order. The Abingdon Tree Commission will be responsible for choosing the tree variety, planting, location, time of planting and continuing care and maintenance of the tree. After the tree and plaque are in place, the purchaser will be notified of the tree species and its location in the park. If you have questions regarding this program, please contact the Town Manager’s Office, 138 West Main Street, Abingdon, VA 24210, 276-628-3167.
TREE SIZE CATEGORY
Category I: Trees with a Mature Height of Less 30’
White Flowering Dogwood • American Smoketree • Pink Flowering Dogwood • Hawthorn • Serviceberry • Ironwood (American Hornbeam)
Sourwood • Fringetree • Redbud • Flowering Crabapple
Category II: Trees with a Mature Height 30’-50’
River Birch • American Holly • White Spruce • Kentucky Coffeetree • Lacebark Elm • Arborvitae • Sawtooth Oak • Persimmon • Flowering Cherry
Category III: Trees with a Mature Height of Over 50’
Red Maple • Sugar Maple • Freeman Maple • Pecan • Blackgum • American Elm (disease resistant) • Hackberry • American Beech
White Oak • Red Oak • Hickory • Leyland Cypress • Blue Spruce • Sweetgum • Norway Spruce • Tulip Poplar • Sassafras
The Abingdon Tree Commission will occasionally modify this list as new, unique or historic tree varieties become available.