Oak Harbor proclaims Arbor Day as official holiday

This year, Arbor Day earned an official proclamation from the city.

By Sam Fletcher • April 23, 2024 1:30 am

Oak Harbor has a long history of celebrating Arbor Day, a holiday on the last Friday of April honoring trees through environmental service. This year, it earned an official proclamation from the city.

Arbor Day began in 1872, when newspaper editor and politician J. Sterling Morton proposed to the Nebraska Board of Agriculture that a special day be set aside for planting trees. On April 10 of that year, the first Arbor Day was observed and over a million trees were planted in Nebraska.

Arbor Day is now observed throughout the world and provides immense benefits, such as reducing topsoil erosion, cutting heating and cooling costs, cleaning the air and providing oxygen, habitat, paper, wood, fuel and beauty, according to the city’s proclamation letter. Trees increase property value, enhance business and provide joy.

This year’s celebration will be held at Oak Harbor Elementary School, said Parks and Rec Director Brian Smith at a recent city council meeting. There, kids will plant trees along Jerome Street, hear the story of Arbor Day, make arts and crafts, play field games and start their own garden.

Kids will chant for the city’s arborist, Bob Bailey, as he dons his gear and climbs up the trees, Smith said. In addition, they will compete for a name for the new Harbor Heights park.

The proclamation didn’t come without its bells and whistles.

With the newest celebration, the City of Oak Harbor earned its 21st Tree City USA designation from the Arbor Day Foundation.

Starting in 1976, Tree City USA is a program intended to inspire change on a national level for a greener, healthier America, said Parks Supervisor Brandon Cable. The first tree cohort contained 42 communities in 16 states. Now, it has grown to 3,600 communities from every state with over a million trees planted and $1.5 billion invested in urban forestry.

Urban forests absorb traffic sound by 40%, provide shade, improve mental and physical health and absorb carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, Cable said.

To earn such recognition, a city must maintain a tree board, have a community tree ordinance, spend at least $2 per capita on urban forestry and celebrate Arbor Day.

“We’re celebrating 21 years of Tree City USA,” Cable said, displaying a plaque made from a cut of Garry Oak, “and we’ve got, as you can tell down there, some space for about 21 more years.”