Arbor Day is a celebration of trees and the vital role they play in both the environment and in our lives.
The very first Arbor Day was held in 1872 in Nebraska City, initiated by newspaper editor Julius Sterling Morton. During this inaugural celebration, it’s estimated that some 1 million trees were planted in the state of Nebraska.
Morton’s idea stemmed from his intense love of nature. He believed one day out of the year should be set aside to remind and educate the public on the importance of planting and maintaining trees throughout our nation.
In 1972, to celebrate the 100th anniversary, the Arbor Day Foundation was formed to further support Morton’s mission on what he called “tree planter’s day”.
Today, after 43 years and over 250 million trees planted and distributed, their commitment to trees all across the country endures.
There’s an old Proverb, which states, “The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is now.”
And the best people to educate about the importance of planting trees are the children of our great nation.
In celebration of Arbor Day 2016, Swingle donated over 75 blue spruce trees (the state tree of Colorado) to the kindergarten class at Aspen Crossing Elementary School in Aurora, CO.
Supplied by the Arbor Day Foundation, these tiny saplings will grow to a mature height of 30-50 feet, have a perfect Christmas tree shape and make an ideal focal point on commercial and residential properties.
The kindergarteners were elated over the young trees now in their possession – eager to head home to identify the perfect location to plant and nurture this new life in nature.
The devoted teaching staff made sure to provide plenty of information and inspiration to their young growers – even creating a wonderful rhyme for the children to take with them as they continue to learn about the beauties of nature so many of us take for granted.
“Green tree, green tree, what do you see? I see a beautiful world, all around me”
In addition to the sapling donation to Aspen Crossing Elementary, Swingle donated $364 to the Arbor Day Foundation through a Facebook campaign, which ran through the month of April.
