Arbor Day
Raise the flag, strike up the band, and plant a tree…it’s Arbor Day! This is in fact is the 125th anniversary of Arbor Day. Actually the last Friday in April is Arbor Day, but the celebrations and events continue. Somehow in my elementary school days, I missed hearing how Arbor Day came to be, but we always planted trees and flowers. That was pre-Earth Day, of course, but coming from dairy farm country, we knew a lot about composting, and what that stuff would do for your garden, and we didn’t have to recycle nearly as much stuff. Milk came in glass bottles, or waxed cardboard; and newspapers, they were much skinnier, and they got used to wrap up green tomatoes, to force them to ripen. Plastics weren’t at their peak yet. Fast food was still on a china plate at the diner. Oh, … I am sounding dated. Forty years later, I am learning that Arbor Day was the vision of a pioneer named Sterling Morton, who moved from Detroit into the Nebraska territory in 1854. Morton was the editor of the first Nebraska newspaper and enthusiastically enlisted others to plant trees to forest the relatively barren Nebraska skyline. He soon became the secretary of the Nebraska territory, which provided another opportunity to stress the value of trees as windbreaks to keep soil from blowing away, and as fuel and building materials sources, and as shade from the hot summer sun.
On January 4, 1872, Morton proposed a tree planting holiday to be called "Arbor Day". The date was set for April 10, 1872. Prizes were offered to counties and individuals for planting properly the largest number of trees on that day. It was estimated that one million trees were planted in Nebraska on the first Arbor Day. In 1874, Arbor Day was officially declared a legal holiday in Nebraska, and April 22, Morton’s birthday was selected to be the date. An account of the Arbor Day events of 1885 reported that a grand parade and speech was given by Morton himself, and in the parade, each class carried colorful banners made of satin and silk lining and trimmed with gold fringe. The letters on the banners were pointed with oil paints. By the time the parade reached the opera house in Nebraska City, the crowd stood at over 1,000 people. At the opera house Morton gave his speech, where at the conclusion, he was applauded loudly and the students sang "America". Thus ended the celebration. During the 1870s, other states passed legislation to observe Arbor Day and the tradition began in schools in 1882.
Tradition continues with celebrations occurring in most of our schools, trees and gardens are being dedicated. Some people even celebrate Arbor Day by planting their own trees at home. Poster contests are underway, and science fairs. Civic and business groups are continuing to develop areas that the public will enjoy for years to come. Two projects in Benicia are being studied. A beautiful botanical garden where there is currently trash and debris in a city own lot in down town Benicia, and a Marina Green, to facelift rocky fill dirt. Hats off to everyone who joins in on these sorts of projects. These projects do not get done without community involvement in these economic times. Cities are short budgeted, and without grass roots efforts, open spaces will be filled with budgetary quick fixes, but we still need trees, and parks, and open wild spaces. We need to leave our children a beautiful world, and a world that they hold precious and continue to protect and beautify for their children. We need to look beyond short term, and keep or political leaders thinking that way too.
Next year lets dedicate a botanical garden, take photos of tree planters and publish them in the paper. These people are our quiet heroes. Label trees in existing parks so visitors can learn what types they are by their leaves and bark. Find the oldest trees in town and tour them, discover the history they have already seen. Make a time capsule and bury it at the root of a new tree, not to be opened until the trees demise, in 100 or more years. Give walking tours of gardens and parks. Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts as docents. Have a parade like in Nebraska City in 1885. Write song and poems, and make art projects. Or just celebrate in a personal way, and plant a tree as an act of optimism and kindness, and a commitment to steward ship. If you have no place to plant your tree, donate it to the State Park, or public garden, for all to enjoy.
Carol de Maintenon is a member of Garden Writers of America and owner of Benicia Garden & Nursery.
