TreeQuest Scavenger Hunt Celebrates FL Arbor Day

Sarasota FL

21 January, 2022

12:56 PM

Description

SARASOTA COUNTY, FL — To celebrate Florida Arbor Day Friday, Sarasota County invites the community to once again journey on a TreeQuest at select county parks. Now in its fifth year, the TreeQuest scavenger hunt kicks off Friday and runs for two weeks, along the way highlighting the importance of trees and their many benefits, according to a news release from the county. "TreeQuest gives residents an opportunity to reflect on the natural beauty of the trees that share our community," said Marguerite Beckford, commercial horticulture agent with the UF/IFAS Extension in Sarasota County. "Plus, we've added some information on each tree species so participants can learn about all the resources trees provide." While National Arbor Day is observed across the country on the last Friday in April, many states also celebrate on other dates more suited to their climate. Florida celebrates the third Friday of January each year because of its year-round growing climate, the county said. TreeQuest is a family-friendly contest that invites participants to win prizes by using clue cards to search for tagged trees at two county parks: Red Bug Slough Preserve at 5200 Beneva Road in Sarasota and Nokomis Community Park in 234 Nippino Trail in Nokomis. The clue cards are available online at Let's Go in a TreeQuest. The tree tags alert contestants that they have found the right tree species, and each tag carries a set of interesting facts specific to that type of tree that showcase for contestants and other park visitors the many ways trees improve our lives and communities, county said. Participants who find all trees on a clue card can submit their answers online using the clue submission form here for a chance to win prizes.