ThefirstArborDaytookplaceonApril10,1872inNebraska.ItwasthebrainchildofJuliusSterlingMorton(1832-1902),aNebraskajournalistandpoliticianoriginallyfromMichigan.Throughouthislongandproductivecareer,MortonworkedtoimproveagriculturaltechniquesinhisadoptedstateandthroughouttheUnitedStateswhenheservedasPresidentGroverCleveland'sSecretaryofAgriculture.ButhismostimportantlegacyisArborDay.
Morton(photo,right)feltthatNebraska'slandscapeandeconomywouldbenefitfromthewide-scaleplantingoftrees.Hesetanexamplehimselfplantingorchards,shadetreesandwindbreaksonhisownfarmandheurgedhisneighbourstofollowsuit.Morton'srealopportunity,though,arrivedwhenhebecameamemberofNebraska'sstateboardofagriculture.Heproposedthataspecialdaybesetasidededicatedtotreeplantingandincreasingawarenessoftheimportanceoftrees.Nebraska'sfirstArborDaywasanamazingsuccess.Morethanonemilliontreeswereplanted.AsecondArborDaytookplacein1884andtheyoungstatemadeitanannuallegalholidayin1885,usingApril22ndtocoincidewithMorton'sbirthday.
IntheyearsfollowingthatfirstArborDay,Morton'sideaspreadbeyondNebraskawithKansas,Tennessee,MinnesotaandOhioallproclaimingtheirownArborDays.Todayall50statescelebrateArborDayalthoughthedatesmayvaryinkeepingwiththelocalclimate.(StateArborDays)Atthefederallevel,in1970,PresidentRichardNixonproclaimedthelastFridayinAprilasNationalArborDay.ArborDayisalsonowcelebratedinothercountriesincludingAustralia.Variationsarecelebratedas'GreeningWeek'ofJapan,'TheNewYear'sDaysofTrees'inIsrael,'TheTree-lovingWeek'ofKorea,'TheReforestationWeek'ofYugoslavia,'TheStudents'AfforestationDay'ofIcelandand'TheNationalFestivalofTreePlanting'inIndia.JuliusSterlingMoortonwouldbeproud.Sometimesonegoodideacanmakearealdifference.
Forthehomeowner,ArborDayisanexcellentopportunitytotakestockofthetreesonyourpropertyandplanforthefuture.Inspectyourtrees.Noteanybrokenbranchesorevidenceofdiseaseorinsectinfestation.Thinkabouthowplantingnewtreesmightimprovethelookofyourpropertyorprovidewindorheatprotection.Takeatriptoyourlocalnurserytoseewhat'savailableandtogetnewideas.Walkaroundyourneighbourhood.Arethereanypublicareaswheretreeplantingortreemaintenancemightmakearealdifferencetoyourcommunity?Talkwithyourneighbours.Findoutwhattheiropinionsare.