| REGREENINGAMERICA.com Arbor
Day
Arbor Day is a holiday in which
individuals and groups are encouraged to plant trees.
Arbor Day originated in Nebraska City, Nebraska, United
States and is celebrated in a number of countries.
It was founded officially by Julius Sterling Morton
(April 22, 1832 – April 27, 1902, was President Grover
Cleveland's Secretary of Agriculture) in Nebraska in
1872. By the 1920s each state in the United States had
passed public laws that proclaimed a certain day to be
Arbor Day or Arbor and Bird Day observance. The dates
differ and were established depending on climate and
suitable planting times.
Arbor Day is now a holiday that
has an international observance and recognition in many
countries.
Birdsey Northrop of Connecticut was responsible for
globalizing it when he visited Japan in 1883 and
delivered his Arbor Day and Village Improvement message.
In that same year, the American Forestry Association
made Northrup the Chairman of the committee to campaign
for Arbor Day nationwide. He also brought his enthusiasm
for Arbor Day to Australia, Canada and Europe.
In the years following that
first Arbor Day, Morton's idea spread beyond Nebraska
with Kansas, Tennessee, Minnesota and Ohio all
proclaiming their own Arbor Days. Today all 50 states
celebrate Arbor Day although the dates may vary in
keeping with the local climate. (State Arbor Days) At
the federal level, in 1970, President Richard Nixon
proclaimed the last Friday in April as National Arbor
Day. Arbor Day is also now celebrated in other countries
including Australia. Variations are celebrated as
'Greening Week' of Japan, 'The New Year's Days of Trees'
in Israel, 'The Tree-loving Week' of Korea, 'The
Reforestation Week' of Yugoslavia, 'The Students'
Afforestation Day' of Iceland and 'The National Festival
of Tree Planting' in India. Julius Sterling Morton would
be proud. Sometimes one good idea can make a real
difference. |
Julius Sterling Morton
3rd United States Secretary of Agriculture - In office
March 7, 1893 – March 5, 1897
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Arbor Day reached its height of
popularity on its 125th anniversary in 1997, when Col.
David J. Wright, noticed that a Nebraska non profit
called the National Arbor Day Foundation had taken the
name of the holiday and commercialized it for their own
use as a trademark for their publication "Arbor Day," so
he countered their efforts, launched a website, and
trademarked it for "public use celebrations" and
defended the matter in a federal district court in the
United States to insure it was judged as property of the
public domain, the case was settled in October 1999.
Today as a result of Wright's efforts anyone can use the
term Arbor Day and anyone can hold their own Arbor Day
celebration. However, on
April 30th, 2010, Regreening America is promoting a new
path for Arbor Day, with the GREEN FRIDAY! Green
Friday allows manufacturers, retailers, and consumers to
use their purchasing power to help regreen America!
So be sure to shop where you see the Green Friday
banners this coming Arbor Day! |
