National Arbor Day
Posted on April 28, 2015
In celebration of National Arbor Day on this past Friday, Environmental 360 sent a team to a local elementary school to teach about Arbor Day and the importance of planting and caring for trees. The team spoke to approximately 120 4th graders about how J. Sterling Morton started the first Arbor Day in Nebraska back in 1872 because of his great love for agriculture and how much he missed the trees from his hometown of Detroit. On this first Arbor Day, over 1 million trees were planted. Although many states have now adopted their own state arbor day to coincide with the best planting season of that particular region and climate, the National Arbor Day is always celebrated on the last Friday in April.
The students were very engaged as they answered questions regarding the many benefits we receive from trees including cleaner air, more oxygen, building materials, paper, fuel, shade, lower heating and cooling costs, food, wildlife habitat, windbreak for soil erosion, and beautification to our homes and communities.
Included in the team from Environmental 360 was a registered forester, Carey Potter. He taught the students about which trees are deciduous and which are conifers and the difference between the two. Carey made the students think really hard about all the products that come from trees including root beer, bubble gum, paint, nail polish, syrup, toothpaste, medicine, and even rocket fuel. After Carey spoke, the students had plenty of questions for him. It was a great time to engage their minds and teach the next generation about the conservation of our forests.
The team brought pin oak seedlings to give out to every student to take home and plant. They taught the students some facts about pin oaks including how tall they grow, how to plant them, and what animals like to live in them and eat their acorns.
The presentation ended with a quiz where a few lucky students won prizes who knew the answers. To encourage and support responsible forestry, the prizes included items that were either SFI, FSC, or PEFC certified forestry products.
The team left the students with the Arbor Day proclamation. All other holidays are a time to celebrate and remember the past; however, Arbor Day is a holiday in which we reflect a hope for the future. The trees that are planted today show concern for future generations. Environmental 360 hopes to continue the partnership with local schools to educate our future generations.