April 24 is National Arbor Day, one of the oldest and most quietly powerful environmental holidays in the world, and a perfect opportunity to do something genuinely good for the planet in about 20 minutes. The holiday was born in Nebraska in 1872, when journalist and tree enthusiast J. Sterling Morton convinced the state to declare a day devoted entirely to planting trees. On that very first Arbor Day, Nebraskans planted an estimated one million trees in a single day. By the 1920s, every state in the union had passed its own Arbor Day legislation, and the holiday has since inspired similar tree-planting observances in countries across every continent. Trees are one of the simplest and most effective tools humanity has for a healthier planet as they absorb carbon dioxide, filter air and water, reduce energy costs through shade, prevent soil erosion, support biodiversity, and give neighborhoods their beauty and character.
The best part about Arbor Day? Participation couldn’t be simpler. Plant a tree in your yard, join a community planting event, donate a tree to a park, or just take a walk and appreciate the ones already standing. The Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix has excellent advice for anyone planting a new tree this week: dig a wide, shallow hole, check the trunk flare, water deeply and slowly, and skip the stakes, which can actually impede growth. Most importantly, just start. A tree planted today will provide shade, clean air, and beauty for decades to come. As Arbor Day founder J. Sterling Morton once put it: “Other holidays repose upon the past, Arbor Day proposes for the future.”
Source: https://dbg.org/arbor-day/
