Today is Arbor Day Here in Texas.
There’s a reason. It’s the best time to plant a tree in warm climates.
Arbor Day is celebrated on the first Friday in November here in Texas.
In the U.S., National Arbor Day is the last Friday in April. But no matter where or when we celebrate, the focus of the day is trees.
Arbor Day celebrates the importance of planting and nurturing trees. We remember the many ways trees enhance our lives and improve the environment. It’s a day to plant trees for future generations to enjoy, but it’s also a day to remember the people who’ve cared for trees in the past.
Historians disagree whether Arbor Day originated in the fifth century when Swiss villagers gathered to plant groves of oak trees or when the Spanish village of Mondoñedo held the first tree festival in the world in 1594.
Arbor Day is now celebrated worldwide as an opportunity to plant trees and acknowledge their beauty and usefulness.
The holiday first appeared in the United States in 1872. J. Sterling Morton is credited with pushing this country’s first Arbor Day resolution through the Nebraska state legislature in that year. The Great Plains' residents recognized how much trees could do for them, and they enthusiastically embraced Morton’s vision.
President Theodore Roosevelt was an ardent supporter of Arbor Day. Early in the 20th century, the nation’s forests were being exhausted by clear-cut timber harvesting.
Roosevelt sent a letter to the children of the United States in which he wrote,
“A people without children would face a hopeless future; a country without trees is almost as hopeless.”
Trees absorb noise and pollution while they beautify the environment and provide habitat for wildlife. But perhaps their most important purpose is countering climate change.
Why do trees matter so much?
Forests absorb carbon dioxide and store carbon to reduce global climate change while we transition off fossil fuels. At the same time, trees purify the air, provide wildlife habitat, and shade to lower energy consumption.
For the best results in warm climates, plant trees from October through December.
The weather isn’t yet freezing, so roots are actively growing. The more root growth made before hot weather arrives, the better.
Transplanted trees have often been growing in partial shade at the nursery, and then roots are disturbed in planting. This makes the tree susceptible to heat stress.
Trees native to your area will be more resistant to diseases and pests, require less care and fertilizer, and require less water. They also provide essential food and shelter for pollinators, birds, and other wildlife. You can visit this website to search for suitable native plants.
Here in Austin, there is a local organization, Tree Folks, which has worked with volunteers to plant 2.8 million trees in Central Texas. Check out their great resources to help you care for trees.
Even if you are not in Texas, plant a tree today. We need each one.