Congratulations to our First Annual Arbor Day Art Contest Winners for 2014! And thank you to all who participated in this year’s event! We had a phenomenal number of submissions, and it was wonderful to see the abundance of talented artists we have in our community.

People of all ages were invited to submit four drawings or photos of their favorite trees from anywhere in the world. We received many beautiful images. Some were images of trees that have stood for centuries, some were of young trees, while others were of trees that have fallen. All of the drawings and photos carried a history and personal story that was reflected very well in each artist’s work.

The City of Goleta maintains over 6,000 street trees in addition to the trees located in the over 500 acres of parks and open spaces. The City is proud to be named Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Association for the past six years.

The winners were selected by the City’s Public Tree Advisory Commission and were honored at the March 4th City Council Meeting. Their art will continue to be featured in an exhibit in City Council Chambers for public viewing throughout the spring. We look forward to continuing this new tradition and invite everyone to participate next year.