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The
celebration of Arbor Day varies. But it usually takes place the
last Friday in April, so that is why we put it in with the April
celebrations. In some cases, it is combined with a more popular
celebration called EARTH DAY, on April 22.
Only
two countries celebrate Arbor Day: The United States and Puerto
Rico.
Arbor
Day is a day of planting trees. Why? How?
It
all began way way back in 1855 in Nebraska. Julius Sterling Morton
is said to be the "Father of Arbor Day." He was born on
April 22, which is another reason why many combine Earth Day with Arbor
Day. Julius, settled on the Nebraska plains, which were pretty
treeless and was also editor of the "Nebraska News" newspaper
at the time. He truly felt the prairie needed more trees for the
following reasons:
(1)
Windbreakers
(2) Hold Moisture in Soil
(3) Lumber for Homes and Buildings
So,
Julius Morton began planting trees and urged others to do so also.
It is assumed he did this verbally and also through newspaper articles,
since he was the editor. He joined the Nebraska State Board of
Agriculture and was continually interested in new agricultural
methods. It was also at this time he proposed that a specific day
be set aside for planting trees. And as an incentive, he suggested a
prize be offered to the person who planted the most trees on that one
particular day.
On
April 10, 1872 a million trees were planted in Nebraska. I'm not sure
who won the first contest, but over 350 million more trees were planted
within the next 16 years.
In
1865 Nebraska was known as "The Tree Planter's State." Today,
however it is known as "The Cornhusker State."
Julius
Sterling Morton served as Secretary of Agriculture under President
Grover Cleveland from 1893 to 1897.
Arbor
Day celebrations became very popular through the US between the 1880's
and WWII. Schools and many communities annually held official
Arbor Day celebrations and tree-planting ceremonies. But, the spirit is
slowly dying when it comes to planting trees. To help keep it
alive, many states are combining Arbor Day with Bird Day, in which trees
are planted that certain birds to an area like (to keep them or attract
them). And, shrubs are also planted in some areas in place of a
real tree.
Every
year the President and First Lady plant a special tree on the grounds of
the White House in Washington, DC somewhere.
Most
of the other Arbor Day activities remain in schools as essay contests,
pageants, poems, bulletin board displays, visits to a local park or
having a Forest Ranger or Park Service person come in and speak to the
classes.
In
some cases such groups as the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and civic
organizations will have tree-planting ceremonies. But the
importance of tree-planting has been overshadowed today by a more bigger
concern. And that is the entire earth's environmental problems,
global warming and the destruction of the rain forest.
To
help preserve our forests, many "tree farms" have started that
grow trees for Christmas time. Others now prefer artificial trees
at Christmas (more for fire safety than environmental consciousness.)
And, in some towns trees that are very old are declared historical
landmarks just like buildings and replace an annual Arbor Day
celebration.
Trees
will always remain the symbol of Arbor Day regardless if it blends in
with Earth Day. Legend has it that Johnny Appleseed planted
thousands of apple trees (via seeds) all over Ohio and Indiana
between 1801 to 1845. But Julius Morton will always be remembered as the
man who legally established planting trees as a holiday.
Trees
are also planted today for other reasons besides Arbor Day. Local
conservationists will plant a tree in a park as a symbol of keeping a
cleaner environment and as a political statement against
over-development of an area. Trees are planted as memorials to
outstanding Americans and/or in honor of various social causes such as
the Oklahoma City Bombing, AIDS awareness, or as a symbol of hope after
a natural disaster has struck.
Note:
Julius Norton is not Johnny
Appleseed. That was John Chapman.
The two are often confused with one another because they both planted a
lot of trees.
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