The Word Arbor Means Tree in Latin
Every year thousands of people take the time out of their busy schedules to plant trees on one specific day. There are plenty of other counties that celebrate similar holidays, but the United States refers to this day as Arbor Day. People have been planting trees and making the environment a better place on Arbor Day since the mid to late 1800’s. The holiday was influenced by many, but the main founder of this day is J. Sterling Morton. This holiday is about learning how to making a difference in your community and environment by planting trees. Arbor Day is an excellent educational holiday for everyone to celebrate trees and their many benefits.
You may have noticed that many different kinds of trees provide us with essential things that we use on a daily basis. The following are some examples: they can produce shade for us and our homes on blistering hot summer days. They also generate oxygen through the photosynthesis process, helping humans and animals breathe. Trees are used for constructing buildings and homes that we live in. We can utilize the wood from trees by creating writing pencils and paper from them. Trees absorb lots of noise pollutants, especially if you live by a noisy airport or a busy freeway. Plants and trees make the community look physically appealing and presentable. The list of various other uses for trees could go on and on.
Other countries also celebrate holidays similar to Arbor Day. Some examples are: Greening Week of Japan, the New Year’s of Trees in Israel, the Tree-loving Week of Korea, the Reforestation Week of Yugoslavia, the Student’s Afforestation Day of Iceland and the National Festival of Tree Planting in India (Arbor Day.net). All fifty of the United States have different trees for each state. Due to climate variance throughout the country and tree planting conditions, each state also celebrates at different dates for this holiday. For example: California’s tree is the California redwood, and California observes a whole week in honor of Arbor Day from March 7th to 14th of every year.
Arbor Day was established in Nebraska by J. Sterling Morton. He was a pioneer who moved to Nebraska from Detroit in 1854, going from a forest of trees to flat treeless plain. Trees were greatly needed when Mr. Morton arrived in Nebraska. They were needed to keep soil in place during the dust bowl. Trees were needed for heating purposes and also used for fuel. Morton knew of all the many things that came from the trees and our environment that he wanted to spread his knowledge to the people of Nebraska. Professionally, Morton was a journalist that became editor of: Nebraska City News newspaper. Morton knew if he used the newspaper to provide agricultural articles and editorials to individuals and groups, he could encourage tree advocacy. Morton’s popularity grew much like the trees and he soon became secretary of the Nebraska territory. This position made it easier for him to spread his knowledge and wisdom about the importance of planting and caring for trees and the environment. The first Arbor Day took place on April 10th, 1872. Nebraskans planted over one million trees on that day.
In 1885, thirteen years later, Nebraskans changed the holiday date to April 22nd, which happened to be Morton’s birthday. The city of Nebraska celebrated Arbor Day in 1885 with a grand parade and a speech by the one and only J. Sterling Morton. Students from all different grades went to their appropriate classrooms in the morning to plant at least one tree per grade on the school grounds. Then each tree was labeled by grade, time planted, and what classroom was to specially care for that tree. After the trees were planted, one thousand of the students lined up to parade to the local Nebraska City’s Opera House. The students and neighborhood community members then paraded through Nebraska City, marching from school to school until they arrived at the Opera House. Once they finally arrived at the Opera House, J. Sterling Morton gave a speech at 11:00 am in the over-crowded packed building. The crowd sat and listened intently to the speech with their full respect and attention. After his speech they applauded and cheered loudly and then students then sang the song America, concluding the ending ceremonies of the first official Arbor Day (Arbor Day.org).
The idea of Arbor Day soon spread to neighboring states of Nebraska, such as Kansas, Tennessee, Minnesota and Ohio, all proclaiming their own Arbor Day thanks to the influence of J. Sterling Morton. The holiday Arbor Day has been recognized by all fifty states and by many different countries throughout the world. If you were to travel to Nebraska now, it would be hard to believe that it in the mid to late 1800’s it used to be a flat treeless plain. The most common date for the holiday is the last Friday in April, and several U.S. presidents have proclaimed a national Arbor Day on that date. But in a number of states, Arbor Days are at other times to coincide with the best tree planting weather, from January and February in the south to May in the far north (Arbor Day.org).
To get involved today, check to see if your community participates in this wonderful holiday. If you would like to get your community involved, this is also a very good place to gather resources to get started. When mid spring is near you should remember all the positive and beneficial things that come from trees. The important part about Arbor Day is that you’re improving the local environment and your community. This holiday is right around the corner, this year do your part and make a difference in your local community by planting and caring for a tree.
You may have noticed that many different kinds of trees provide us with essential things that we use on a daily basis. The following are some examples: they can produce shade for us and our homes on blistering hot summer days. They also generate oxygen through the photosynthesis process, helping humans and animals breathe. Trees are used for constructing buildings and homes that we live in. We can utilize the wood from trees by creating writing pencils and paper from them. Trees absorb lots of noise pollutants, especially if you live by a noisy airport or a busy freeway. Plants and trees make the community look physically appealing and presentable. The list of various other uses for trees could go on and on.
Other countries also celebrate holidays similar to Arbor Day. Some examples are: Greening Week of Japan, the New Year’s of Trees in Israel, the Tree-loving Week of Korea, the Reforestation Week of Yugoslavia, the Student’s Afforestation Day of Iceland and the National Festival of Tree Planting in India (Arbor Day.net). All fifty of the United States have different trees for each state. Due to climate variance throughout the country and tree planting conditions, each state also celebrates at different dates for this holiday. For example: California’s tree is the California redwood, and California observes a whole week in honor of Arbor Day from March 7th to 14th of every year.
Arbor Day was established in Nebraska by J. Sterling Morton. He was a pioneer who moved to Nebraska from Detroit in 1854, going from a forest of trees to flat treeless plain. Trees were greatly needed when Mr. Morton arrived in Nebraska. They were needed to keep soil in place during the dust bowl. Trees were needed for heating purposes and also used for fuel. Morton knew of all the many things that came from the trees and our environment that he wanted to spread his knowledge to the people of Nebraska. Professionally, Morton was a journalist that became editor of: Nebraska City News newspaper. Morton knew if he used the newspaper to provide agricultural articles and editorials to individuals and groups, he could encourage tree advocacy. Morton’s popularity grew much like the trees and he soon became secretary of the Nebraska territory. This position made it easier for him to spread his knowledge and wisdom about the importance of planting and caring for trees and the environment. The first Arbor Day took place on April 10th, 1872. Nebraskans planted over one million trees on that day.
In 1885, thirteen years later, Nebraskans changed the holiday date to April 22nd, which happened to be Morton’s birthday. The city of Nebraska celebrated Arbor Day in 1885 with a grand parade and a speech by the one and only J. Sterling Morton. Students from all different grades went to their appropriate classrooms in the morning to plant at least one tree per grade on the school grounds. Then each tree was labeled by grade, time planted, and what classroom was to specially care for that tree. After the trees were planted, one thousand of the students lined up to parade to the local Nebraska City’s Opera House. The students and neighborhood community members then paraded through Nebraska City, marching from school to school until they arrived at the Opera House. Once they finally arrived at the Opera House, J. Sterling Morton gave a speech at 11:00 am in the over-crowded packed building. The crowd sat and listened intently to the speech with their full respect and attention. After his speech they applauded and cheered loudly and then students then sang the song America, concluding the ending ceremonies of the first official Arbor Day (Arbor Day.org).
The idea of Arbor Day soon spread to neighboring states of Nebraska, such as Kansas, Tennessee, Minnesota and Ohio, all proclaiming their own Arbor Day thanks to the influence of J. Sterling Morton. The holiday Arbor Day has been recognized by all fifty states and by many different countries throughout the world. If you were to travel to Nebraska now, it would be hard to believe that it in the mid to late 1800’s it used to be a flat treeless plain. The most common date for the holiday is the last Friday in April, and several U.S. presidents have proclaimed a national Arbor Day on that date. But in a number of states, Arbor Days are at other times to coincide with the best tree planting weather, from January and February in the south to May in the far north (Arbor Day.org).
To get involved today, check to see if your community participates in this wonderful holiday. If you would like to get your community involved, this is also a very good place to gather resources to get started. When mid spring is near you should remember all the positive and beneficial things that come from trees. The important part about Arbor Day is that you’re improving the local environment and your community. This holiday is right around the corner, this year do your part and make a difference in your local community by planting and caring for a tree.
posted by Leslie Tallerday at
12:17 AM
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