Current:Home > MarketsArbor Day: How a Nebraska editor and Richard Nixon, separated by a century, gave trees a day -Elevate Capital Network
Arbor Day: How a Nebraska editor and Richard Nixon, separated by a century, gave trees a day
View
Date:2025-04-18 16:38:46
Get the dirt and shovels ready, it's Arbor Day and it's time to celebrate by planting a tree.
Arbor Day started back in 1872 in Nebraska City, when a journalist proposed a day to inspire Nebraskans to plant trees in their community, states the History Channel.
Today, the holiday is recognized nation wide. According to GovInfo, President Richard Nixon designated the last Friday of April as National Arbor Day in 1970.
"At a time when we as a people are becoming more concerned with the quality of our environment, it is fitting that we give more attention to the planting of trees in rural and urban communities," said Nixon.
More ways to celebrate the Earth:When is Earth Day 2024? How the day raises awareness about climate change, our environment
How did it get started?
This is the story of how the holiday got it's start, according to the History Channel.
The first Arbor Day was held on April 10, 1872 after Julius Sterling Morton, a journalist who soon became editor of Nebraska City News, the state’s first newspaper, proposed the idea.
He used his platform at the paper to educate people on the importance of trees, then proposed the idea for the day on January 7, 1872. It was a total success.
Fast forward to over a century later and his holiday is still being celebrated.
How do you celebrate Arbor Day?
According to the Arbor Day Foundation, there are several different ways folks can celebrate the holiday.
First, folks can always celebrate by planting a tree or volunteering for an organization to plant trees locally. The organization states people can also volunteer to clean up a park.
There are also simpler options, like reading books or even writing about trees.
Folks with extra cash can also choose to donate to organizations, like the National Forest Foundation, that are working to reforest national forests.
Why are trees important?
According to the Arbor Day Foundation, climate change is the biggest challenge that faces the planet, but more trees can pull greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide, out of the atmosphere.
"Every tree planted is a step in the right direction," states the foundation's website.
According to the EPA, planting trees and vegetation can cool areas.
"Research shows that urban forests have temperatures that are on average 2.9 degrees lower than unforested urban areas," it states.
Not only does planting trees in urban areas reduce the temperature, it also reduces energy use, improves air quality, and improves quality of life.
Trees prevent heat islands, too. These "islands" are urbanized areas that see higher temperatures of one to seven degrees higher than surrounding areas states the EPA.
According to Scientific American, they happen when an area lacks trees so heat gets absorbed by buildings, streets and parking lots.
According to the EPA, this phenomenon often affects people of color and folks who live in low-income communities and historically redlined neighborhoods.
"Planting trees in underserved neighborhoods addresses basic human rights to health, safety and welfare," states the Tree Equity Score's website, a tool that"highlights inequitable access to trees," which was developed by American Forests.
According to the Tree Equity Score, to reach "tree equity" around half a billion trees need to be planted in the United States, which would provide $3 billion in benefits every year.
veryGood! (7459)
Related
- RFK Jr. closer to getting on New Jersey ballot after judge rules he didn’t violate ‘sore loser’ law
- Charlie Puth Finally Reacts to Taylor Swift’s Tortured Poets Department Song Name Drop
- What to watch and listen to this weekend from Ryan Gosling's 'Fall Guy' to new Dua Lipa
- 'Indiana is the new Hollywood:' Caitlin Clark draws a crowd. Fever teammates embrace it
- Sarah J. Maas books explained: How to read 'ACOTAR,' 'Throne of Glass' in order.
- '9-1-1' stars talk Maddie and Chimney's roller-coaster wedding, Buck's 'perfect' gay kiss
- Breaking Down Selling the OC's Feuds: Why Alex Hall and Kayla Cardona Are Not on Speaking Terms
- Torrential rains inundate southeastern Texas, causing flooding that has closed schools and roads
- New Zealand official reverses visa refusal for US conservative influencer Candace Owens
- Fulton County officials say by law they don’t control Fani Willis’ spending in Trump case
Ranking
- 9/11 hearings at Guantanamo Bay in upheaval after surprise order by US defense chief
- Alaska judge grants limited stay in correspondence school allotments decision
- Flowers, candles, silence as Serbia marks the 1st anniversary of mass shooting at a Belgrade school
- Kendrick Lamar doubles down with fiery Drake diss: Listen to '6:16 in LA'
- EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
- Lewis Hamilton faces awkward questions about Ferrari before Miami F1 race with Mercedes-AMG
- Judge denies pretrial release of a man charged with killing a Chicago police officer
- Archaeologists unveil face of Neanderthal woman 75,000 years after she died: High stakes 3D jigsaw puzzle
Recommendation
In ‘Nickel Boys,’ striving for a new way to see
Why Canelo Álvarez will fight Jaime Munguía after years of refusing fellow Mexican boxers
US Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas denies wrongdoing amid reports of pending indictment
ACLU, abortion rights group sue Chicago over right to protest during Democratic National Convention
RFK Jr. closer to getting on New Jersey ballot after judge rules he didn’t violate ‘sore loser’ law
Celebrate May the Fourth with These Star Wars Items That Are Jedi-Approved
You Know You Love All of Blake Lively's Iconic Met Gala Looks
Safety lapses contributed to patient assaults at Oregon State Hospital, federal report says