On September 17, 2025, Colorado Arborists and Lawn Care Professionals (CALCP) joined hundreds of tree care, lawn care, landscape, and green industry professionals for the annual Saluting Branches Day of Service at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver. As part of the nationwide Saluting Branches initiative, volunteers donated their time, expertise, equipment, and materials to honor America’s veterans through professional tree and landscape care.
Throughout the day, certified arborists, landscape professionals, municipal foresters, students, suppliers, and industry volunteers worked side by side to improve the beauty, safety, and long-term health of the cemetery grounds. Projects included tree pruning, tree planting, landscape maintenance, plant health care, and other essential arboricultural services that help preserve one of Colorado’s most significant places of remembrance. The event also provided an opportunity for companies across the industry to donate trees, equipment, supplies, and labor in support of veterans and their families.
Saluting Branches has become the largest single-day volunteer event in the arboriculture profession, bringing together thousands of volunteers at veteran cemeteries across the United States each September. The organization’s mission is to honor American service members by providing expert tree and landscape care to the properties dedicated to their memory—work that not only enhances the beauty of these sacred spaces but also improves public safety and preserves their natural resources for future generations.
CALCP is proud to partner with Saluting Branches each year, reinforcing the association’s commitment to community service, environmental stewardship, and professional excellence. The annual Day of Service demonstrates how Colorado’s green industry comes together to give back, ensuring that the final resting places of our nation’s heroes receive the same care, respect, and dedication that veterans showed in service to our country.
The success of the Fort Logan Day of Service is driven by the leadership of Luke Killoran, CALCP Board Director, Denver Parks and Recreation’s City Forester, and longtime Saluting Branches Site Leader for Fort Logan National Cemetery. An ISA Board Certified Master Arborist and SAF Certified Urban & Community Forester, Luke has been instrumental in growing Colorado’s Saluting Branches event into one of the nation’s largest volunteer service projects honoring veterans. His dedication to community stewardship and service has earned widespread recognition, including the Colorado Tree Coalition’s Distinguished Service Award and Denver7’s Everyday Hero honor for his leadership of Saluting Branches.