Arbor Day Celebrations

Give a tree a hug and celebrate Arbor Day on the last Friday in April. 

First celebrated in Nebraska in 1874 Arbor Day was initiated by J Sterling Morton to encourage individuals and civic groups to plant trees.  The tradition spread and now is celebrated throughout the country. 

But Arbor Day is about more than just planting trees.  It’s also about valuing and taking care of the trees that already shade our homes, clean the air and help reduce flooding. 

So gather the family and take a walk through the neighborhood and see if you can find the oldest or largest trees.  Use paper and crayons to make bark rubbings and create stories about what that tree may have witnessed throughout its life.

And if possible celebrate by planting a tree in your yard.  No room to plant? Don’t worry.  Ask a friend, neighbor, nearby school or park if they could use your help planting trees. 

A bit more information:  Though National Arbor Day, proclaimed by President Nixon in 1970, is the last Friday in April many states host arbor celebrations on different dates based on their climate.  Other countries also celebrate the importance of trees with Arbor Day or other similar celebrations.   India has The National Festival of Tree Planting, Japan celebrates Greening-Week and Israel observes The New Year’s Day of Trees.