Happy Oregon Arbor Week! Oregon Arbor Week is a time to celebrate our trees by planting ceremonial trees, educating children and adults about the importance of trees, and honor the important role trees play in our daily lives.
Arbor Day was first created by J. Sterling Morton, a pioneer who moved into the Nebraska Territory in 1854. He and his wife were lovers of nature and Morton was a journalist and quickly became the editor of a Nebraskan newspaper. In the Nebraskan plains, he quickly realized how important trees were to a growing community. He proposed and organized the first tree planting holiday – to be called “Arbor Day” – to be held on April 10, 1872. More than one million trees were planted in Nebraska on the first Arbor Day.
Today, the nationally recognized “Arbor Day” is the last Friday in April, but here in Oregon – truly a “tree state” – we celebrate for a whole week. Lucky us!
Some fun facts about Arbor Day:
- Arbor Day became a national holiday in 1970, when President Richard Nixon declared the first Friday in April to be a holiday to celebrate trees.
- Hawaii celebrates Arbor Day in November, the best time to plant trees on the islands.
- Alaska celebrates Arbor Day in May—later in the year due to the colder climate.
- The National Arbor Day Foundation held a vote for America’s favorite tree in 2004. The mighty oak won by a landslide. We’d have put our vote in for the Ponderosa pine.
- On April 15, 1907, 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. Go Roosevelt!
- Today, at least 36 countries celebrate Arbor Day!
Here at Arbor 1 Tree Service, we feel that everyday is Arbor Day, but we hang out with trees all of the time. There are many ways to celebrate Arbor Week in Oregon. Plant a tree, save a tree, hug a tree, kiss a tree, or even talk to a tree. The important thing is to appreciate our urban and natural forests for all that they provide us.
Stay tuned on our Facebook page and Twitter @bendtrees for more ideas and fund stuff about Oregon Arbor Week!
