Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Celebrate Arbor Day


Hi Puzzlers,

Arbor day is the day that is dedicated to the planting and care of trees and here in New Hampshire we celebrate it on April 30th.

People are encouraged to go out and plant a tree, be it in your own yard or in a community spot. You should remember to ask the community before planting. Homeowners, this is a good time to check existing trees for insect infestations and broken branches and, of course, to plant a new tree.

The first Arbor Day was celebrated on April 10, 1872 in Nebraska. Julius Sterling Morton, a Nebraska journalist and politician, thought Nebraska would benefit from the planting of trees. Trees, he felt, would add to the landscape and economy.

“He set an example himself planting orchards, shade trees and windbreakers on his own farm and urged his neighbors to follow suit. Nebraska’s first Arbor Day was an amazing success with more than one million trees being planted.”

Windbreaks reduce heating and cooling cost to homes, and add value. They provide a barrier from sound and sight, smell, protect livestock, they look good and provide wildlife habitat for birds and little furry critters.”

Presently all 50 states celebrate Arbor Day although the dates vary according to local climates. I am also happy to report Arbor Day is now celebrated in other countries, with some adopting variations on the theme such as “Greening Week” of Japan.”

"Other holidays repose upon the past - Arbor Day proposes for the future.”
J. Sterling Morton

Happy Puzzling!

2 comments:

  1. We try and plant 250 pine trees a year and this is usually done in May. It is fun to measure their growth from year to year. Thank you for your post...interesting information!

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  2. @ Anonymous: WOW! 250 pine trees a year is amazing! If the planet could speak it would say thank you!

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