Celebrate Trees!

April is a busy month in the natural resources world! Tree plantings are taking place throughout the region (including both large scale plantings and smaller individual events), trees such as serviceberry and dogwood will soon be in bloom and the forest will seemingly "come back to life"! On a local scale, the Garrett County Forestry Board will be distributing tree seedlings to 3rd grade students in the county, recognizing winners of the annual Arbor Day Poster Contest, reading a proclamation at a County Commissioners meeting and assisting with the forestry station in the county Envirothon competition for high school students. The Maryland Forest Service will also be distributing approximately 100 Backyard Buffer packets of tree seedlings to property owners in the county for planting along waterways.

Arbor Day began when Nebraska newspaper editor J. Sterling Morton had an enthusiasm for trees and advocated strongly for individuals and civic groups to plant them. Once he became secretary of the Nebraska Territory, he further spread his message of the value of trees. And on January 4, 1872, Morton first proposed a tree planting holiday to be called “Arbor Day” at a meeting of the State Board of Agriculture.

The celebration date was set for April 10, 1872. Prizes were offered to counties and individuals for the largest number of properly planted trees on that day. It was estimated that more than 1 million trees were planted in Nebraska on the first Arbor Day. National Arbor Day is now celebrated on the last Friday of April. This year, that is April 29, 2022. Each state observes its own Arbor Day as well. Maryland Arbor Day is always the first Wednesday in April. This year, that is April 6, 2022. To learn more about the history of Arbor Day, visit https://www.arborday.org/celebrate/history.cfm

The Maryland Forest Service in conjunction with county Forestry Boards sponsors an annual Arbor Day Poster Contest for 5th grade students. This year's county level winners are:

1st Place

$75.00

Ryaa Brenneman

Calvary Christian Academy

2nd Place

$50.00

Elizabeth Maust

Calvary Christian Academy

3rd Place

$25.00

Emma Wass

Calvary Christian Academy