Enjoy the benefits of trees on Arbor Day

By Gary Wyatt, University of Minnesota Extension

ST. PAUL (4/20/2009) — Arbor Day is celebrated in the United States and other countries, encouraging the planting and care of trees. It is celebrated every year on the last Friday in April, although Arbor month is May.

Arbor Day was established by J. Sterling Morton of Nebraska City, Neb. in 1872. J. Sterling Morton settled in the Nebraska Territory in 1854, where he was the editor of Nebraska's first newspaper. Nebraska at that time could provide rich farmland, but without wood for building houses or for fuel to heat homes, few found it convenient to settle there.

Morton proposed Arbor Day as a tree planting holiday in 1872 at a meeting of the Nebraska State Board of Agriculture. By 1894, Arbor Day was celebrated in each state of the United States.

Morton's home in Nebraska City is a state historical park, which includes an arboretum and extensive landscaped grounds. Adjacent to the public park, Morton's farm, now called Arbor Day Farm, is run by the National Arbor Day Foundation, www.arborday.org/.

Selecting the “right tree for the site” is the most important landscaping decision a homeowner can make. Spring and fall seasons are great times to plant trees in your landscape. Be aware of the mature height and width of trees before selecting and planting a tree. Call Gopher State One Call at (800) 252-1166 to identify where underground utilities might be.

The benefits of trees include aesthetics, economic, wildlife and environmental. Landscape beautification, living screens and green spaces can reduce noise while increasing property value.  Home energy costs can be reduced from 25 to 30 percent with properly placed trees. Trees in a diversified landscape provide food and shelter for animals and insects while stabilizing the soil and increasing water quality. With the threat of emerald ash borer to Minnesota, homeowners are encouraged to consider planting shade trees other than ash. This borer can attack any specie of ash trees in Minnesota. See the Minnesota Department of Agriculture website at www.mda.state.mn.us/invasives/eab or the University of Minnesota Extension website at www.extension.umn.edu/issues/eab for more details.

According the U.S. Department of Agriculture, "One acre of forest absorbs six tons of carbon dioxide and produces four tons of oxygen. This is enough to meet the annual needs of 18 people.”

To learn more about trees and the proper tree for your landscape look at the following websites:

Minnesota trees:
www.mntrees.org

University of Minnesota Extension Forest Resources:
www.forestry.umn.edu/extension/index.html

Any use of this article must include the byline or following credit line:
Gary Wyatt is a forestry and natural resources educator with University of Minnesota Extension.

Media Contact: Catherine Dehdashti, U of M Extension (612) 625-0237, ced@umn.edu

URL: http:// www.extension.umn.edu/extensionnews/2009/arbor-day.html  This page was updated April 20, 2009 .
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