Where did it go?

It was once one of our most important holidays. School children in rural areas spent the day outdoors. They trekked into the woods, picked bunches of wildflowers, and enjoyed a picnic lunch. Even in the towns and cities, the day was observed with nature walks to identify the neighborhood trees.

And everywhere, the students played an active role in planting trees. Sometimes a tree was dedicated to a special person–a favorite teacher, a war hero, or a civic leader.
The children learned about the benefits of trees. They provide shade, habitat for wildlife, and wood for houses and furniture. And they prevent soil erosion and serve as windbreaks. Arbor Day was an opportunity to combine fun, nature, and learning. A vacation day at school.

Julius Sterling Morton (1832-1902), a Nebraska publisher, was the “Father of Arbor Day.” He served as secretary of agriculture in Grover Cleveland’s cabinet, secretary of Nebraska Territory, and acting governor of the territory for a short period.
But he felt the success of Arbor Day was the greatest achievement of his life.

Nebraska in the 1800s was a dry, treeless plain. Settlers had denuded the area of the few trees they found there. Soil erosion and wind damage were serious problems and wood for building and pulp for paper were scarce. Morton wrote in his newspaper about the importance of reforestation and used his position in government to encourage it. On April 10, 1872, the first Arbor Day was celebrated in Nebraska. (After Morton’s death, the state legislature changed the date to April 22, his birthday.)

Soon Nebraska became known as the Tree Planters’ State, having added over one million trees, turning barren wasteland into verdant forests.
Other states followed, and by 1922 Arbor Day was observed nationwide. Arbor Lodge, Morton’s 52 room home in Nebraska City, is now open to the public as a park and memorial. Over 250 species of trees and shrubs surround the mansion. They were personally planted by the Father of Arbor Day.

So, where is Arbor Day now?
Nowhere to be seen. It appears to have been overshadowed by Earth Day. Several school age kids were asked “What do you know about Arbor Day?” Their replies;
“Huh?”
“What’s that?”
“I never heard of it.”
“I’ve heard of it, but I don’t know what it is.”
“I think it has something to do with trees.”

But when Earth Day is mentioned, they can preach for hours about the disappearing rain forest in South America, the endangered Spotted Owl, and the whales in the North Atlantic. They might be hard pressed to identify the tree that shades their backyard where play every day. Yet they can speak at length about an obscure snail darter or three-toed sloth they’ll probably never see.

Sure, a few teachers in a few schools may yet observe Arbor Day in a limited fashion. But it isn’t “cool” or “in” or “rad” like Earth Day. Why help along one little tree when you can agonize about the entire planet?

Many of the mighty oaks and majestic maples we enjoy today were saplings transplanted by schoolchildren and civic groups on past Arbor Days. Groves, forests, and parks exist because of the efforts of previous generation. They didn’t worry about “saving the earth,” but did remember to “plant a tree.”

Maybe someday we’ll see a revival of Arbor Day. Perhaps it will come during one of our period waves of nostalgia for our innocent past. Or maybe teachers and parents will see the need for our children to be connected to their natural surroundings, to the plants and animals they encounter daily.

Just as all politics are local, so is ecology.

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