Celebrate Arbor Day: A Spring Tradition

by Betsy Hill Williams

There are many "special" days throughout the year, and Arbor Day is one of them. Although celebrated in all states except Alaska, the U.S. territories and District of Columbia, there is no set date for the observance of Arbor Day. Most states celebrate it in the spring months of March or April, the time of budding trees and new life. Perhaps, if years go by with inadequate attention given to our forests, this day will take on greater significance and a more prominent place on our calendars. It certainly offers a wonderful opportunity, wherever you live, to celebrate our seventh principle:
respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

An Early Conservationist
Arbor Day was first observed in Nebraska on April 10, 1872, due largely to the efforts of J. Morton Sterling. Born in Ontario and raised in the woods of Michigan, Sterling was startled to see land that was treeless when he moved ) to Nebraska after college. Without trees the land was subject to scorching by the sun and devastation by fierce winds. Sterling saw how trees help to keep moisture in the soil with roots and provide important shading and windbreaks. As a newspaper man he began to spread the doctrines of forestation and conservation. He used occasions such as special visitors or new building construction as opportunities for ceremonial tree planting. When Sterling was made Secretary of the Nebraska Territory, his influence grew and on January 4, 1872 he presented his Arbor Day resolution before the State Board of Agriculture. An annual tree-planting day was to be observed with prizes given to individuals and counties who planted the most trees. That first year over a million trees were planted.
Create Your Own Celebration
Find out what day your state celebrates Arbor Day, or pick April 22, the day it is celebrated in Nebraska. Remember these few simple guidelines for celebrations. You need a space, some words to say and/or sing which create a special feeling and give meaning to your celebration, and then something to do together which, as Joan Goodwin phrased it, "re-binds you (the root meaning of the word "religion") into a sense of wholeness with one another and all that is."
Defining Your Space
Since this is an outdoor event, your space will be where you decide to plant your tree. Location is important; there needs to be adequate sunlight and moisture. Equally important is the type of tree you plant. Check with your local nursery to find out which species grow well in your area. Once you have decided on these two factors, gather the family at the site with the necessary tools. All hold hands in a circle around the tree before planting. Open the ceremony with this litany. (Adult or older child reads the italic lines, others repeat the phrase "We give this gift of life".)

We have chosen this time and this place to give thanks to Earth.
We give this gift of life.

We are grateful to trees for all they do for humans and animals.
We give this gift of life.

We know that what we do today and everyday lives on long after us.
We give this gift of life.

We plant and care for Earth knowing we are part of her and she is part of us.
We give this gift of life.

We dedicate this tree to the generations of humans, animals and plants to come. We give this gift of life.

Tree Planting and Story
Take turns, as appropriate, digging the hole and preparing it for the tree. Follow any instructions given by your local nursery and remember to use lots of water! It is best to have a hose drip water for several hours after planting to allow the water to soak deep into the soil and encourage deep rooting. If you have a camera, take a picture of
everyone standing by the tree when the work is done. Years from now your children will have fun seeing how much both the tree and they have grown!

When the tree is firmly in the ground, have everyone sit comfortably on the ground for this brief Jewish folktale.

One day a child, Honi, saw an old man digging a hole in the earth. Honi asked the man, "Must you do heavy work at your age? Have you no sons to help you?" The man kept digging. "This work I must do myself" Honi asked, "How old are you?" "I'm seventy years and seven", answered the man 'And what are you planting?" "I ant planting a bread fruit tree," was the answer, "and the fruit of this tree can be made into bread." "And when will your tree bear fruit?" asked Honi. "In seventeen years and seven." "But you surely will not live that long" said Honi. "Yes," said the old man, 'I will not live that long, but I must plant this tree. When I came into this world there were trees here for me. It is my duty to make sure that when I leave there will be trees here also."(Taken from Chop Wood, Carry Water by Rick Fields, et.al., 1984)

Make a Commitment to Action
To complete your celebration, you and your family might think about what each of you can do everyday to live respectfully and in greater harmony with Earth. Many people feel helpless and frustrated by the vastness and complexity of environmental problems. The first step in getting out oft. feeling of helplessness is to change our way of thinking about Earth-to embrace the planet as part of our family, a living part of ourselves. Cut down to size, the tasks before us are much less daunting. In fact, they are very simple: don't act like you own Earth anymore than you own your kid sister, clean up after yourself out of doors just as you do indoors; and consciously do something to give back and say "thank you" for the bounties we humans receive from Earth.

Before you break your circle, all stand and recite this pledge:

I pledge allegiance to the Earth

and all the life which it supports.

One planet, in our care, irreplaceable,

with sustenance and respect for all.

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