‘He who plants a tree, plants hope’
Once upon a time, there was a vast plain in the midst of the United States. A treeless prairie. The Nebraska Territory in 1854. Into this land moved tree loving and plants guru, Julius Sterling Morton and his wife, from Detroit. They quickly planted trees, orchards, bushes, and flowers.
On March 1867, Nebraska joined the Union as our 37th state. Morton became the editor of Nebraska’s first newspaper and was an enthusiastic promoter of trees and agriculture, stressing that trees were needed as windbreaks to keep soil in place, for fuel, building material and shade from the hot sun. In 1872, he presented the idea of everyone planting a tree, to the Nebraska State Board of Agriculture, offering a resolution that set April 10, 1872, as a tree planting day. They organized contests by counties, and the newspapers kept it before their readers. More than a million trees were planted all over Nebraska. Nebraska was treeless no longer.
Arbor Day was officially proclaimed by Nebraska’s Governor in 1874. Other states soon followed. Arbor Day became part of the school systems in the spring of 1883. It was felt that by making the children aware of our needs for trees, they would become the future “Stewards of the Land.” In 1885, Morton’s birthday, April 22, was designated as the official Arbor Day, becoming a legal holiday. It is now observed internationally. Morton later became Secretary of Agriculture for the United States during President Cleveland’s second term. In 1970, President Richard Nixon proclaimed the last Friday in April as National Arbor Day.
Arbor Day is our only holiday that looks forward to the future. A day of hope, faith, renewal. There are many reasons to plant a tree; beauty in our landscape; material to build homes, furniture, fences; as homes for many birds, insects, lizards, squirrels, butterflies, and animals; to provide food, nuts and fruits that sustain us; provide shade to cool us and our homes; their roots stabilize soil and prevent erosion. But- most importantly, they take carbon dioxide out of the air, replacing it with oxygen. In one year, a single tree can produce about thirteen pounds of oxygen, enough to sustain a family of four. This is what we need to breathe, so, more trees- more oxygen. We breathe a whole lot better and longer.
The Florida legislature, in 1945, designated the third Friday in January as our state Arbor Day, because this time of year the climate is at its best for planting trees. According to our legislature, it gives their developing root system an advantage before the hot summer weather arrives. The National
Arbor Day Foundation is located in Nebraska City, Neb., beginning in September 1971. They operate the Arbor Day Farms and the Arbor Lodge State Park, in the homestead donated by the Morton family. Tree City USA, was a program they created to encourage a communities support for the environment. City and county governments, as well as federal military bases are eligible to apply for certification. Cape Coral has been a Tree City USA for sixteen years. There are 133 tree cities in Florida, with Orlando as the oldest Tree City in Florida. 29 years. I joined the National Arbor Day Foundation many years ago and received ten tree seedlings for free. You, too, can join. My favorite poem “Trees” is by Joyce Kilmer (1886-19180)
I think that I shall never see
a poem lovely as a tree,
a tree whose hungry mouth is prest
against the Earth’s sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
and lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in summer wear
a nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
but only God can make a tree.
National Arbor Day is April 24. Another celebration in April will be Earth Day on April 22. It was first observed in 1970 as a nationwide demonstration in support of Earth’s environment. It will always fall on April 22, whereas, Arbor Day is the fourth Friday in April. Both will lead to good vibrations for our Earth in April! For now, this Friday, Jan. 16, Florida will be celebrating their very own Arbor Day. Hendry County horticulture agent, Gene McAvoy, said, “Celebrate Arbor Day in a personal way by planting a tree yourself. It is an act of optimism and kindness, a labor of love and commitment to stewardship. ‘ He who plants a tree plants hope.'” I’d like to quote someone named Aldo Leopold, Acts of creation are ordinarily reserved for Gods and poets. To plant a pine, one need only to own a shovel.” DIG IT!
Joyce Comingore-Master Gardener, National Board member AHS, and President of the James E Hendry Chapter of the American Hibiscus Society, member of the Garden Club of Cape Coral