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The History of Arbor Day

Arbor Day originates back to the 1800s when pioneers first made their way into the Nebraska Territory. One pioneer in particular, J. Sterling Morton was a nature lover and was disappointed in the lack of trees in Nebraska. He and his wife were determined to change this - they planted numerous trees and flowers on their property. Morton began to spread his message when he became the editor of the first newspaper in Nebraska. Eventually, Morton became the secretary of the Nebraska Territory, and he spread his message about trees even further.

The public caught on, and Morton proposed a tree-planting holiday in 1872 to be held in April. Due to the overwhelming response from the public, Arbor Day became a state holiday in 1874. On Arbor Day, Nebraskan students would celebrate by going outside and planting trees, usually to be followed by a parade. By 1882, schools across the nation followed suit, and Arbor Day became a nationally-recognized holiday.


It is estimated that over 1,000,000 trees were planted on the first Arbor Day in Nebraska.

• Trees are extremely important to both the environment and the population. Trees provide shade and shelter, are home to thousands of different animals and insects, and consume carbon dioxide and release oxygen to the environment.
• Trees were essential for the early pioneers because they would serve as windbreaks to prevent soil from flying away, their roots would prevent erosion, and their wood was used for building purposes and fuel.
  
  
• Arbor Day is celebrated in most states on the last Friday in April, but some states celebrate it earlier or later in the year according to the most appropriate time of the season to plant trees. Extreme northern states usually celebrate Arbor Day in May, while extreme southern states usually celebrate it in January or February.