Tomorrow the City of Fort Lauderdale, along with many communities throughout the US, will be celebrating Arbor Day. The last Friday in Arbor is National Arbor Day. National Arbor Day is a holiday on which trees are honored. The origin of Arbor Day lies in the 19th century. The driving force behind National Arbor Day was J. Sterling Morton. The history of Arbor Day is a history of the celebration of the importance of trees to human life.
The first Arbor Day was held in Nebraska on April 10, 1872 and an estimated one million trees were planted that day. On April 15, 1907, President Theodore Roosevelt issued an Arbor Day Proclamation to the School Children of the United States about the importance of trees and that forestry deserves to be taught in U.S. schools. Since then, Arbor Day celebrations have been widely connect with children, but the contributions of trees to our lives is far from child’s play!
Why celebrate trees? The importance of trees on our planet cannot be overstated. I could go on and on about trees. The list of benefits that trees provide is so long you might think it’s an exaggeration, but it is not. Reduced pollution, erosion control, wildlife habitat, energy saving and enhanced human comfort are all well known long term consequences of tree planting. Just look around from where you are reading this and count the number of things that are products of trees. You’ll be amazed at how many things in your daily routine have ingredients derived from trees. Planting trees is one of the cheapest and most effective ways to bring about widespread improvement in the environment and the quality of life of an area. Trees also provide a sense of place and community.
The celebration of Arbor Day started in the US but has spread to countries throughout the world. Why don’t you celebrate tomorrow by planting a tree or at least thanking a tree!
Happy Arbor Day!
Fort Lauderdale’s Arbor Day program will be at Colee Hammock Park, 1500 Brickell Drive, at 10:00 a.m. We are expecting around 150 children. Please join us!
