But it was that very lack of trees that prompted this holiday. The Nebraska Territory pioneers deeply missed the beauty of the eastern hardwood forests they had left behind, and they needed trees for windbreaks, fuel, timber and shade.
It was J. Sterling Morton, a Nebraska newspaper editor, who urged his fellow citizens to plant trees. In 1872, Nebraska's governor declared Arbor Day an official state holiday, and in 1970, it became a national celebration.
Shortly afterwards, the Arbor Day tradition of planting trees in schoolyards became popular. I remember watching my elementary school principal dig a deep hole to plant a pint-sized maple sapling in the school courtyard. Each time I visit my home town in Maryland, I stop to say hello to that tree, now a handsome specimen, over 40 feet tall.
So how will you celebrate Arbor Day? If you live in the Salt Lake City area, you could enjoy a free stroll through Red Butte Garden, Utah's official arboretum, or go to Cottonwood Park, where the Salt Lake City Urban Forestry Division — the tree heroes of our urban landscapes — provide guidance on planting the right tree in the right place at the right time.
Most holidays — like the Fourth of July — commemorate something that happened in the past. But Arbor Day is about the future. It celebrates those incredible plants that provide clean air and water, healthy communities, and beauty – now, and for years to come.
