Pateros Arbor Day honors late tree board member Angela Van Eysinga

PATEROS – Arbor Day 2025, celebrated in Pateros on Saturday, April 26, was an extra special occasion when youngsters attending the event were invited to help public works personnel plant a memorial tree in honor of Angela Van Eysinger. 

During earlier comments by City Administrator Jord Wilson, Van Eysinger was honored for her dedication to increasing tree appreciation efforts:

The City of Pateros became a Tree City in 2013. Angela joined the Tree Board when it was first formed in 2014. She was a tireless supporter of the Tree City program. In 2015 following the Carlton Complex wildfire, Angela helped pass out thousands of trees to the community. She helped folks choose the right trees for their homes, but more importantly before the tree left her hands, she made sure they had a plan to care for them. She always volunteered for Arbor Day celebrations. She loved to teach kids about trees, leaves, seeds, stones, and honeybees. She would have been right here at one of these tables giving out free plants. Angela’s work on the Tree Board was about finding the right tree for the right place. Since 2013 the program has planted 275 trees in Pateros.

Wilson, an ISA (International Society of Arborists) certified arborist, listed the many ways trees add to a community: 

• Clean the air.
• Filter water.
• Reduce stormwater runoff and erosion.
• Provide shade and cool homes/
• Create safer walking environments/
• Improve business.
• Increase neighborhood security.
• Increase land value.
• Improve community health and wellbeing.
• Reduce stress.
• Improve overall health and development of children.
• Encourage physical activity.
• Increase civic pride.

Wilson also introduced the current Tree Board members, Ana Trejo, Julie Herbert, Chantel Poole, Kathy Harding, and Ashley Kennedy.

“When you visit with people about Old Pateros and the old Main Street, you always hear them talk about the tree covered streets and how beautiful it was,” Wilson said.

Mayor Kelly Hook read the official Arbor Day proclamation.

Among those on hand, along with plant and food vendors, were representatives from Alta Lake State Park, the Okanogan Conservation District, the DNR, and Okanogan County Noxious Weed Control.

According to the Arbor Day website, arborday.org, Arbor Day is celebrated in all 50 states. The most common date for the state observance is the last Friday in April, but many state Arbor Days are observed at other times to coincide with the best tree-planting weather, from January and February in the south to May in the far north. 

Mike Maltais: 360-333-8483 or michael@ward.media