PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Arbor Day Celebrations in Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, Mich. – April 12, 2012 – The City of Ann Arbor will celebrate Arbor Day this year with a volunteer street tree planting in the Forest Hills Cooperative neighborhood on Saturday, April 28. The planting is being coordinated by the City of Ann Arbor in partnership with the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor. The Rotary Club will be providing volunteers for the event, as well as, purchasing trees for the planting. Fifty new street trees will be planted for this event.
Arbor Day was founded by J. Sterling Morton, who developed a life-long love of trees during his boyhood in Michigan. After graduating from the University of Michigan in 1854, Morton and his wife Carrie moved to Nebraska. The tree-less plains of Nebraska didn’t feel like home to them, so they started planting trees. Through Morton’s efforts, the first Arbor Day was celebrated on April 10, 1872, with the planting of over one million trees in Nebraska. This was the beginning of an annual celebration of trees, which is now observed across the country and world-wide.
Arbor Day was first celebrated in Michigan in 1885. In 1966, Governor George Romney proclaimed the last week in April as Arbor Week and the last Friday in April as Arbor Day. “Trees provide many benefits to all of us, every day,” states the Arbor Day Foundation. “They provide cooling shade, block cold winter winds, attract birds and wildlife, purify our air, prevent soil erosion, clean our water, and add grace and beauty to our homes and communities.” To learn more ways to celebrate Arbor Day, visit www.arborday.org.
The city is also celebrating its designation as a Tree City USA for the 31st consecutive year. The Tree City USA program recognizes communities that invest and manage their urban and community forest resource.
An Arbor Day fundraiser is being hosted by a local business. On Friday, April 27, the Arbor Brewing Company on 114 E. Washington will donate a dollar to the city’s Adopt-A-Park program from every glass sold of its limited-run, spruce-infused beer. These funds will be dedicated to Adopt-A-Park efforts to support volunteer-assisted planting and maintaining trees in the city’s parks.
If you are interested in participating in the Arbor Day planting or are looking for other opportunities to volunteer with park beautification projects please contact the Adopt-A-Park program, at www.a2gov.org/adopt-a-park or by calling 734.794.6627.
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