Arbor Day facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Arbor DayArbour Day |
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Volunteers planting a tree for Arbor Day (Rochester, Minnesota, 2009)
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| Observed by | Multiple countries |
| Type | Cultural |
| Significance | A holiday celebrating trees |
| Celebrations | Planting, caring for and climbing trees, educating about the importance of trees |
| Date | Lua error in Module:Wikidata at line 132: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
| Frequency | Annual |
| First time | Mondoñedo, Spain |
| Related to | Greenery Day (Japan) |
Arbor Day (or Arbour in some countries) is a special day when people are encouraged to plant trees. Many countries around the world celebrate this holiday. While it's usually in the spring, the exact date changes depending on the climate and when it's best to plant trees in that area.
Contents
Origins and history
First Arbor Day in the world
The first recorded tree-planting festival happened in 1594 in the Spanish village of Mondoñedo. The mayor organized it, and the area is still known as Alameda de los Remedios, filled with lime and horse-chestnut trees. A small stone marker reminds people of this event.
Later, in 1805, the small Spanish village of Villanueva de la Sierra held what's considered the first modern Arbor Day. A local priest, Don Juan Abern Samtrés, started it with the help of everyone in the village.
While Napoleon was ravaging Europe with his ambition in this village in the Sierra de Gata lived a priest, don Juan Abern Samtrés, which, according to the chronicles, "convinced of the importance of trees for health, hygiene, decoration, nature, environment and customs, decides to plant trees and give a festive air. The festival began on Carnival Tuesday with the ringing of two bells of the church, and the Middle and the Big. After the Mass, and even coated with church ornaments, don Juan, accompanied by clergies, teachers and a large number of neighbours, planted the first tree, a poplar, in the place known as Valley of the Ejido. Tree plantations continued by Arroyada and Fuente de la Mora. Afterwards, there was a feast, and did not miss the dance. The party and plantations lasted three days. He drafted a manifesto in defence of the trees that was sent to surrounding towns to spread the love and respect for nature, and also he advised to make tree plantations in their localities.
—Miguel Herrero Uceda, Arbor Day
First American Arbor Day
The idea for Arbor Day in America came from J. Sterling Morton in Nebraska City, Nebraska. On April 10, 1872, people in Nebraska planted about one million trees!
A person named Birdsey Northrop from Connecticut helped spread the idea around the world. He visited Japan in 1883 and shared his message about Arbor Day and improving villages. He also brought his passion for Arbor Day to Australia, Canada, and Europe.
McCreight and Theodore Roosevelt
In 1906, a conservationist from Pennsylvania, Major Israel McCreight, suggested that President Theodore Roosevelt should talk to school children about the importance of trees. McCreight believed that educating young people was key to protecting American forests.
Gifford Pinchot, who was the head of the United States Forest Service, agreed with McCreight. He asked the President to speak to students across the country about conservation. On April 15, 1907, President Roosevelt issued an "Arbor Day Proclamation to the School Children of the United States." In it, he talked about how important trees are and how forestry should be taught in schools.
Around the world
Australia
Australia has celebrated Arbor Day since 1889. National Schools Tree Day is held on the last Friday of July for schools. The main National Tree Day is on the last Sunday in July. Some states, like Victoria, even have an Arbor Week.
Brazil
Arbor Day (Dia da Árvore) in Brazil is on September 21. It's not a national holiday, but schools all over the country celebrate it with activities related to the environment, especially planting trees.
Canada
Sir George W. Ross, who later became the Premier of Ontario, started Arbor Day in Canada. He was the Minister of Education in Ontario from 1883 to 1899. He wanted to encourage school children to make school grounds beautiful and to feel patriotic.
In Canada, National Forest Week is the last full week of September. National Tree Day (Maple Leaf Day) is on the Wednesday of that week. Ontario celebrates Arbour Week from the last Friday in April to the first Sunday in May. In Calgary, Arbor Day is on the first Thursday in May. On this day, every first-grade student in Calgary schools gets a tree seedling to plant at home.
China
Arbor Day (simplified Chinese: 植树节; traditional Chinese: 植樹節) in China was started by forester Ling Daoyang in 1915. For a while, it was celebrated on the Qingming Festival. In 1929, the date was changed to March 12 to remember Sun Yat-sen, an important leader.
In 1979, the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China made a rule that every healthy citizen between 11 and 60 years old should plant three to five trees each year. Or, they can do other work like growing seedlings or caring for trees.
Germany
Arbor Day ("Tag des Baumes") in Germany is on April 25. It was first celebrated in 1952.
India
Van Mahotsav is a yearly tree-planting festival across India, lasting for a week in July. Millions of trees are planted during this time. It began in 1950 to get people excited about protecting forests and planting trees.
The name Van Mahotsava means "festival of trees." It started in 1947 after a successful tree-planting event in Delhi. Important leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Abul Kalam Azad took part.
Iran
In Iran, it's called "National Tree Planting Day." It's on the fifteenth day of the month Esfand in the Solar Hijri calendar, which is usually around March 5. This day kicks off the "Natural Recyclable Resources Week."
On this day, young trees suitable for different climates in Iran are given to people. They also learn how to plant them.
Israel
The Jewish holiday Tu Bishvat is like a "new year for trees." It's on the 15th day of the month of Shvat, usually in January or February. This holiday was originally about counting the age of fruit trees for tithing (giving a part of your harvest). Now, people often celebrate it by planting trees or raising money to plant trees. They also eat fruits like grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates. Schools in Israel often go on tree-planting trips for Tu Bishvat.
Japan
Japan celebrates a similar day called Greenery Day, which is on May 4.
Korea
North Korea celebrates "Tree Planting Day" on March 2. On this day, people all over the country plant trees.
In South Korea, April 5 used to be a public holiday called Arbor Day (Sikmogil, 식목일) until 2005. Even though it's not an official holiday anymore, people still celebrate it by planting trees.
Mexico
The Día del Árbol (Day of the Tree) was started in Mexico in 1959. President Adolfo López Mateos made a rule that it should be celebrated on the second Thursday of July.
Netherlands
The Netherlands adopted the idea of a "World Festival of Trees" after a resolution from the United Nations in 1954. In 1957, the National Committee Day of Planting Trees was created.
Every year, on the third Wednesday in March, many Dutch schoolchildren aged 10-11, along with celebrities, plant trees. Some towns plant trees around September 21 because it's a better planting season.
New Zealand
New Zealand had its first Arbor Day planting on July 3, 1890. A famous New Zealand botanist, Dr. Leonard Cockayne, wanted school students to plant native trees. This idea came true, and schools in New Zealand have been planting native trees on Arbor Day for a long time.
Since 1977, New Zealand has celebrated Arbor Day on June 5, which is also World Environment Day. Before that, it was on August 4, which was a bit late for planting trees.
Many of the Department of Conservation's Arbor Day activities focus on bringing back natural habitats using native plants. These projects help protect and restore the country's unique plants and animals.
North Macedonia
After serious wildfires in 2007, people in North Macedonia started an initiative to plant more trees. The campaign, called 'Tree Day-Plant Your Future,' began on March 12, 2008. It was a non-working day, and over 150,000 Macedonians planted 2 million trees in one day! Millions more were planted in the following years, and this has become a yearly tradition.
Philippines
Since 1947, Arbor Day in the Philippines has been a national event. People celebrate it by planting trees and other plants. In 2012, a law was passed that made tree planting a yearly event for local governments. It also said that every healthy Filipino citizen aged 12 and older should plant at least one tree each year.
Poland
In Poland, Arbor Day has been celebrated since 2002. Every October 10, many Polish people plant trees and join events organized by environmental groups. Forest Inspectorates and schools also give special talks and campaigns to teach people about protecting nature.
Portugal
Arbor Day in Portugal is on March 21. It's not a national holiday, but schools across the country celebrate it with activities related to the environment, especially planting trees.
South Africa
Arbor Day was celebrated in South Africa from 1945 until 2000. After that, the government made it National Arbor Week, which runs from September 1 to 7 every year. During this week, two trees (one common and one rare) are highlighted to teach people about native trees. Schools, businesses, and other groups also do various "greening" activities.
Spain
In Spain, there was an International Forest Day on March 21. A rule in 1915 also brought in an Arbor Day for the whole country. Each town or group decides its own date for Arbor Day, usually between February and May. In Villanueva de la Sierra (Extremadura), where the first Arbor Day in the world was held in 1805, it's celebrated on Carnival Tuesday.
For example, the small town of Pescueza, with only 180 people, organizes a big planting of holm oaks every spring. This event is called "Festivalino" and involves the town council, foundations, and many citizens.
Taiwan
Arbor Day (植樹節) has been a traditional holiday in the Republic of China (now Taiwan) since 1916. It was first celebrated in 1915. In 1916, the government said all provinces should celebrate it on the same day as the Qingming Festival, April 5. From 1929, Arbor Day was moved to March 12 to remember the death of Sun Yat-sen, who strongly supported planting trees. When the government moved to Taiwan in 1949, they kept celebrating Arbor Day on March 12.
United Kingdom
First started in 1975, National Tree Week in the United Kingdom celebrates the beginning of the winter tree planting season. About a million trees are planted each year by schools, community groups, and local authorities.
On February 6, 2020, Myerscough College in Lancashire, England, celebrated the UK's first official Arbor Day.
United States of America
Arbor Day was started in 1872 by J. Sterling Morton in Nebraska City, Nebraska. By the 1920s, every state in the United States had laws setting a specific day for Arbor Day or Arbor and Bird Day.
National Arbor Day is celebrated every year on the last Friday in April. It's a civic holiday in Nebraska. Other states have chosen their own dates for Arbor Day.
The usual way to celebrate is by planting a tree. On the very first Arbor Day, April 10, 1872, people planted an amazing one million trees!
Venezuela
Venezuela celebrates Día del Arbol (Day of the Tree) on the last Sunday of May.
See also
In Spanish: Día del Árbol para niños
