Arbor Day
Arbor Day 2009

2009 State Arbor Day Ceremony Tree Planting, Memory Grove

J. Sterling Morton Photo
  • The first Arbor Day was held in Nebraska on April 10, 1872. Julius Sterling Morton, a member of Nebraska’s Board of Agriculture, was the person responsible for creating this special day. He got people to participate in the statewide celebration by offering prizes to the individuals and counties that planted the most trees. It is estimated that over 1 million trees were planted in Nebraska on that first Arbor Day!
  • Governor Arthur Lloyd Thomas proclaimed Utah’s first Arbor Day would be celebrated April 3, 1892.
  • Many types of Arbor Day and Tree celebrations are held in more than 50 countries around the world including Australia, Japan, Korea, Yugoslavia, Israel, Iceland, New Zealand and India.
  • It is estimated that 18 million trees are planted on Arbor Day each year.