Thursday’s overcast and chilly weather did not tamp down the enthusiasm of city staff, volunteers, and community members who attended the annual Arbor Day celebration at Piedmont Community Hall, where owls were named and trees honored.
The Park Commission selected two finalists in the Dracena Park owl naming contest (one youth entry and one adult entry) and invited attendees to vote between them throughout the event. The winning names are Ramona and Blair, submitted by Alyson Aleksey, and the runner up was Draseeneenee and Drassanna, submitted by Levi Taylor. The city said it ended up receiving nearly one hundred nominations.
Among some of the naming favorites that did not make the final cut were: Woody and Leafy; Mr. Firework and Ms. Sparky (“because they light up the night”); Hoot and Holler; Fluffy and Floofy; Hoot and Annie; Twit and Twoo; Hootie and The Blowfish; Scot and Thistle; Eunice and Thurston H”owl”III; Hooter and Honker; Popeye and Pipsqueak; Hunt and Peck.
The annual event celebrates the nearly 9,000 trees the Public Works Department maintains in Piedmont’s parks and public spaces – as well as the city’s commitment to environmental stewardship.
Parks Commissioner Tom Smegal reviews some of the names submitted for the owls 
Checking out the suggested names of the owls in Dracena Park 
Levi Taylor holds a stuffed owl, his prize for naming the owls in Dracena Park 
Kids were able to climb into the large city trucks parked on the patio of the Piedmont Community Hall 
Siblings share the drivers seat 
Having fun in a public works truck 
Attendees added their thoughts on how to create a more sustainable city 
Piedmont sustainability employees host information tables inside Piedmont Community Hall 
Youngsters get to use leaf blowers to separate trash into recycling, compost and waste
2025 Heritage Tree winners
This year the city received nine nominations for Heritage Trees. Six were chosen:
- Horse chestnuts on Highland Avenue, anonymous nominations honoring the Piedmont Beautification Foundation 60th anniversary
- California buckeye in Dracena Park, nominated by Jack and Sharona Fischrup
- Crepe myrtle on Harvard Road, nominated by Lisa Gardner and David Hitchcock
- Redwoods at Coaches Field, nominated by Mary Louise Morrison
The nominators of the selected trees were recognized at the event and received Piedmont Heritage Tree lapel pin. The Heritage Tree program, now in its seventh year, aims to raise awareness of and appreciation for Piedmont’s diverse urban forest.
Heritage Trees are nominated by community members and selected by the Park Commission.