The History of Arbor Day

Americorps • April 27, 2022

This Friday, April 29, is the 150 th anniversary of Arbor Day. A day dedicated to the appreciation and care of trees. Most people spend the time planting trees or teaching about their importance, but the holiday can be celebrated in many different ways. Some hold a ceremony recognizing stewards in the community, some clean up natural areas and some support conservation districts in their annual tree sales. Interestingly Arbor Day is observed on different days across the country, this is due to optimal planting seasons. For example, in Hawaii, the holiday is in November. Despite the way people celebrate or when they celebrate, Arbor day is focused on the continued betterment of the future.

The History of Arbor Day

Pioneers moved to the new lands of Nebraska in the 1870s and were met with wide stretches of flat plains. Originally their homes were surrounded by forests and this new environment posed problems. Besides missing the aesthetics, the new residents were faced with erosion, high winds and a lack of shade. The presence of trees would not only improve their environment but would provide fuel and building material. Julius Sterling Morton, a journalist who moved to Nebraska in 1854, began to advocate for tree plantings. Already having a wide array of shrubs and trees on his land, he saw the positive change tree plantings could bring. When he became the secretary of Nebraska he officially announced a tree-planting holiday to be held on April 10 th , 1872. For the first Arbor Day, 1 million trees were planted. The community thoroughly enjoyed the results and Arbor Day became a tradition.

The Current Arbor Day

The rest of the country and some parts of the world began observing Arbor Day. By 1920 over 45 states recognized the holiday. Backed by schools, businesses and community groups, the effort to improve the environment became a tradition. Currently, over 33 countries around the world celebrate Arbor day, including but not limited to, Australia, Brazil, Barbados, Germany, Guam, India and Yemen. Each country may celebrate on a different day or in a different way, but the holiday continues to be centered around the betterment of the environment and community.

If you would like to volunteer at a tree planting this Arbor Day weekend contact Kristina Kennedy at kkennedy@mucc.org. To find out more about the event click HERE. If you would like to know more about the history of Arbor Day, click HERE. If you want to learn more about different countries’ celebrations, click HERE.

Recent Posts

MUCC celebrates a successful Clinton River Cleanup

By Katelyn Helsel • April 23, 2025
Rochester Hills, MI — On the Ground, MUCC’s volunteer stewardship program, celebrated its 250th habitat improvement project in Oakland County this past weekend. In partnership with Metro-West Steelheaders and the Clinton River Watershed Council , 62 volunteers removed more than 460 pounds of trash from the Clinton River watershed and surrounding areas, restoring more than 80 acres of fish and wildlife habitat. Volunteers focused on picking up trash and other debris in the river near Yates Park and along various walking trails near the Yates Cider Mill. Many different items were collected, including a couple of tires, fishing line, old cans, a sign, and even a car bumper. “We definitely wanted to clean up as much trash as possible because that's going to help the watershed as a whole, and it’s going to clean up the river for both humans aesthetically, and also the animals that live in it, and create safer drinking water” said Olivia Triltsch, MUCC’s Habitat Program and Partnerships Coordinator.

Mayflies, Stoneflies, and Caddisflies, Oh My!

By Olivia Triltsch • April 17, 2025
In addition to their impact on water quality, these three orders of insects are an important part of the diet of game fish, making anglers, especially fly fishermen, interested in the conservation of these small animals.

Mast-Producing Trees 101

By Katelyn Helsel • April 16, 2025
You might’ve heard the term “mast-producing” in the conservation world, but what exactly does it mean? Mast-producing is mostly used to describe a type of tree or shrub. Generally, mast-producing trees and shrubs are more desirable to plant when attempting to restore wildlife habitat on a larger scale, or even when trying to attract wildlife like songbirds into urban areas. 
More Posts