Arbor Day and Arborists 101

“Other holidays repose upon the past; Arbor Day proposes for the future.” –Julius Sterling Morton.

Morton founded Arbor Day with a vision for the future and the value of nature. As a tree company, we are deeply passionate about trees and love any opportunity to plant a tree. Arbor Day is celebrated on the last Friday in April, so that means Arbor Day 2021 will be on April 30th. A common practice is to plant a tree on Arbor Day in memory or honor of a loved one. In some communities, tree planting and litter collecting events will be planned to celebrate the day and take care of our world.

Brief History of Arbor Day:

The first Arbor Day was celebrated on April 10th, 1872 in Nebraska. Approximately one million trees were planted on that day. By 1885, Arbor Day became a legal holiday in Nebraska. Within 20 years, every state (except Delaware) was celebrating Arbor Day. The founder, Morton, was especially pleased when it became observed by schools across the country. Morton planted thousands of trees just on his own homestead, which was 166 acres of treeless land prior to him arriving. Now in our times, his home has become a state park with over 250 varieties of trees and shrubs on the grounds. As fellow tree enthusiasts, we know he would be delighted to know how the holiday is still widely celebrated and how his home hosts so many tree varieties.

What is an Arborist?

Being a certified arborist would have been a good job for Morton. If you have a passion for trees and their health, you would love being an arborist, also known as a tree doctor. An arborist completes specialized training and receives certification to cultivate and care for trees and shrubs, including tree surgery, disease diagnosis and treatment, and pest control. In the same way that an annual with a doctor can help recognize issues and maximize health in a person, a visit with an arborist does the equivalent for trees. If you want to help your trees reach their ideal lifespan and thrive, using an arborist’s services will help. A healthy tree will be a more beautiful tree. An arborist can perform routine maintenance for a tree including pruning, pest control, and fertilization.

In addition to preventative care, an arborist provides support with emergencies, tree removal, treatment,  and planting.

Emergency Help–In an emergency, an arborist can assess whether a tree can be saved or not. If a tree can be trimmed instead, the arborist will choose that route first. If a removal is necessary, the arborist will perform the task safely.

Tree Removal—An arborist can assess the risk of any trees in your yard that you are concerned about. Removal is always a last resort for us, but sometimes it is necessary to keep you and your home safe.

Treatment—If disease or damage is caught early on, the issue can more than likely be resolved without having to remove the tree.

Planting—Whether you need support with choosing your tree type or the ideal place to put it in, an arborist can help. Also, an arborist can assist with completing a proper planting. Basically, we can set your tree up for a long and healthy life from the start.

Happy Arbor Day from our TreeJob team! Plant a tree and call us to help you care for it!