What Is the Meaning of Arbor Day?

Arbor Day is a national holiday that is celebrated the last Friday in April. It is a chance to take stock of the trees in your yard, neighborhood and communities by maintaining those that are already there, and planting new trees. The United States declared Arbor Day a national holiday to celebrate the importance of trees in our communities.

The History of Arbor Day

The first recorded Arbor Day celebration occurred April 10, 1872. The holiday was invented by Julius Sterling Morton. He was a celebrated journalist from Nebraska who suggested the holiday. When Morton became President Grover Cleveland's Secretary of Agriculture, Arbor Day was made into a national holiday.

State Arbor Days

Beyond the national Arbor Day, each state has its own Arbor Day. They are celebrated on different days so the day is in the line with the area's climate. It would be difficult to celebrate the day if there were no leaves on the trees.

Celebrating Arbor Day at Home

Celebrating Arbor Day at home means heading outside and taking stock of the trees in your yard. This is a good time to trim trees, mulch, and water, and decide where more trees should be planted. It's also a great time to see that all your plants are healthy by looking for plant diseases in tree leaves and visiting a local nursery to gather new ideas of what to plant.

Arbor Day in your Community

Celebrating Arbor Day means volunteering for organizations such as Tree People or your neighborhood association and planting trees in the area. The most obvious organization to get involved with would be the National Arbor Day Foundation, which last year planted more than 8.5 million trees in communities across the nation.

The Importance of Planting Trees

Planting trees is incredibly important in communities. Trees remove carbon from the atmosphere, and that is important for reducing global warming. Trees provide shade in communities and over homes. And trees clean the air that we breathe.