24 / OutdoorIllinois April 2009

Communitiesthroughout Illinoiscelebrate anAmerican traditiondating to1887:Arbor Day.

GoingGreen

Story By Reinee Hildebrandtand Kathy Andrews

Arbor Day is Julius Sterling Mor-ton’s most recognized accom-plishment and legacy.

Born in Michigan in 1832, theNebraska journalist and politi-cian knew the value of trees.The winds were fierce at his

Nebraska home, and he knew treeswould redirect and slow the GrandPrairie winds. When he served as Presi-dent Grover Cleveland’s Secretary ofAgriculture, Morton worked to improveagricultural techniques throughout theUnited States. On April 10, 1872 Mor-ton held the first Arbor Day in Nebras-ka, a day when more than 1 milliontrees were planted.

Morton’s idea of an Arbor Day sweptthe nation.

Illinois’ first Arbor Day was held in1887, but not until 1949 did the statelegislature legally declare the last Fridayin April as “Arbor and Bird Day.” Thepurpose of the legislation was to planttrees, shrubs and vines about homes,along the highways and on publicgrounds to show the value of trees andbirds and the necessity of their protec-tion, thus contributing to the comfortsand attractions of our state.

Included in the founding premise ofArbor and Bird Day is the need to con-duct appropriate exercises in publicschools and elsewhere, involving thecitizens of Illinois in this important prac-tice. School children in the Village ofMount Prospect participate in an annualtree-planting ceremony, and anxiouslyawait hearing Mayor Irvana K. Wilksrecite the poem that she penned tocommemorate the event.

‘Greenspire’ Littleleaf Linden(Tilia cordata ‘Greenspire’)By Irvana K. Wilks

In the time-honored traditionmarking Arbor Day

we plant a tree, a ‘Greenspire’Littleleaf Linden,

covering its roots with rich, brownIllinois soil.

Additional Information

H istory of Arbor Day www.arbor-day.net

National Arbor Day Foundation (listof state Arbor Day events, Right TreeRight Place, list of Illinois TREE CITYUSA Communities) www.arborday.org

Ten Things You Can Do on ArborDay, 10 Things Teachers Can Do onArbor Day and a variety of activitypages www.idahoforests.org/arborday

Morton Arboretum’s Celebrate ArborDay in Your Community and Tree Plant-ing Guide www.mortonarb.org

April 2009 OutdoorIllinois / 25

Our words of dedication echo acrossa nation

and join with the choruses of millionsof others

honoring this same April day.

One imagines that this sapling standslike a small sentry—

a guard—next to this school built byfaith. It is, however,

we who are the sentries, promising tocare and to protect it.

The sun and rain will nourish thislinden.

As it grows, stretching its branchesinto the vast sky,

it will shade children who passbeneath laughing,

learning—generations of studentswe’ve not met.

In summer, the perfume of itsflowers—delicate white clusters—

will beckon to us. We will pausewithin the canopy of the fragrance

and for an instant pretend to be ona tropical island.

And so it will be, the life of this lindenand our lives

locked together—grownups, youthand the tree, because

today we take shovels and cover itsroots with rich, brown Illinois soil.

And then we make a promise.

Be a part of the green scene, joinyour community and plant a tree onArbor Day.

2009 Illinois Arborand Bird Day Events

Here are some of the Arbor and BirdDay events taking place this year. All

Illinois Tree City USA communities havean Arbor Day tree planting event. Contactyour local municipal representatives forfurther details.

April 17, FridayCentralia—Fairview ParkApril 18, SaturdayOswego—Earth/Arbor Day and RecyclingExtravaganza, Public Works FacilityWeek of April 20Scott Air Force Base—TBAHazel Crest—five schools and on the 25that Openlands, 17120 Holmes Ave.April 20, MondayO’Fallon—LaVerna Evans Grade SchoolApril 23, SaturdayOrland Park—Century Junior High, 10801W. 159th St.; Meadow Ridge, 10959 W.159th St.; Centennial School, 14101 CreekCrossing Dr.April 24, Friday – State of Illinois des-ignated Arbor/Bird DayArlington Heights—Greenbrier ParkBarrington—various grade schoolsBloomington—Trinity Lutheran SchoolBolingbrook—TBABuffalo—TBAChampaign—10 a.m., West Side Park, 400W. University Ave.Des Plaines—TBADuQuoin—TBAHighland Park—9 a.m., Heller Nature Cen-ter, 2821 Ridge Road. Limited space. Callin advance at (847) 926-1149.Hinsdale—TBAHoffman Estates—10:30 a.m., Arbor DayPark, intersection of Downing Drive andSumac TrailGlencoe—Glencoe Central SchoolLanark—TBALisle—TBAMarquette Heights—TBAMount Carroll—TBANorthfield—TBA

Oak Lawn—TBA, 1 p.m.Orland Park—St. Michael School, 14355Highland Ave.; High Point School, 14825West Ave.; Jerling Junior High, 8851 W.151st St.Palos Hills—Town Square Park, 8455103rd St.Prospect Heights—TBAWilmette—program with one elementaryschool; Arbor Day/Memorial Day servicefor 50 year city employee and fire chiefApril 25, SaturdayAntioch–9 a.m.-noon at the Wm. E. BrookEntertainment Center, Skidmore Dr.Bloomingdale—10 a.m., Public WorksFacilityElburn—TBAEvanston—1-4 p.m. Evanston Ecology Cen-ter, 2024 McCormick Blvd.Mt. Vernon—10 a.m.-1 p.m., VeteransPark, 800 South 27th St.Naperville—8 a.m.-noon, Arbor Day TreeSale, New Public Works Facility, 180 FortHillNorth Barrington—Oak tree planting at9:30 a.m., North Barrington Village Hall(111 Old Barrington Rd.) to celebrate thevillage’s 50th anniversary, followed by aprogram on using native plants in residen-tial landscaping.Northbrook—8:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Arbor Day-Earth Day celebration, Village Green ParkSt. Charles—4 p.m., Lincoln Park, Route64 and N. 4th St.April 26, SundayMoweaqua—2 p.m., Central A & M HighSchoolMay 2, SaturdayHickory Hills – City Hall, 8652 W. 95th St.June 7, SundayAlton–6 p.m., Gordon F. Moore Communi-ty Park, Nan Elliot Memorial Rose Garden,4550 College Ave.

Other municipalities celebrating ArborDayLake Barrington—TBA, recognition ofArbor Day as one of the 50th anniversaryeventsMackinaw—TBA, Veterans Park

Village of Mount Prospect’s mayor,

Irvana K. Wilks, commemorates

each Arbor Day planting ceremony

with a newly penned poem.

26 / OutdoorIllinois April 2009

Hug a Tree

The Mt. Vernon Parks and RecreationDepartment believes in a hands-on

approach when it comes to Arbor Day edu-cation and activities.

“Hug A Tree Day” in 2008 featured a col-laborative effort between high school class-es and the University of Illinois Master Gar-

deners. The combined team helped morethan 700 elementary students at one schoolget their hands dirty as they investigatedroots, counted tree rings and smelled thesap oozing from tree limbs.

George Bryant, Mt. Vernon Parks andPublic Facilities Director, said, “One majorgoal of this event was to create a uniquelearning environment by having the highschool students teach the elementary stu-dents.” The enthusiasm that was generatedby both groups was contagious as teachersapplauded their return in 2009.

What child doesn’t love to climb trees?Mt. Vernon Parks and Recreation Depart-ment combined that desire with safety mea-sures and held its first tree climbing activityfor children at the Annual Arbor Day Cele-bration. A detailed plan was developed thatutilized children’s climbing saddles, ropesand hardware. A local utility tree trimmingcontactor’s staff supervised the climbing sta-tions after the city’s insurance carrierapproved the program.

“The Mt. Vernon community loves forthe Parks and Recreation Department topush the mark on creating high-energy fami-ly programs,” said Bryant. “The children’stree climbing activity started a change indirection for the department and has result-ed in the creation of new outdoor programstitled the Family Adventure Series.”

Why Plant a Tree?

� One hundred trees can remove37 tons of carbon dioxide per yearand 248 pounds of other air pollutantsper year.� Research has shown that tree-filledneighborhoods have lower domesticviolence and are safer and moresociable.� Trees save us money. With properlyplaced trees around our houses, wecan save up to 20 percent on annualair-conditioning and 2-20 percent onwinter heating.� Trees add value to your property.Each properly maintained tree in afront yard adds 1 percent to a housesales price and may even be the reasonwhy someone wanted to purchase thehouse. Large specimen trees can add10 percent to property value.

The Village of Northfield tradi-

tionally celebrates Arbor Day

with the 5th grade students

from District 29 in Northfield.

The Village of Elburn is one

of many Illinois communities

participating in Arbor Day

tree-planting celebrations.

Arbor Day activities in Mt.

Vernon include a tree-climbing

program organized by the Parks

and Recreation Department.

Going Green