It's Arbor Day

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Go plant a tree! Every year the state of Minnesota observes Arbor Day on the last Friday in April, and then Arbor month is the month of May. 

The understanding that trees are important to this planet began a long time ago.  In 1872, a guy named J. Sterling Morton lived in Nebraska, one of the many Great Plains states that had little to no trees.  While crops are extremely good for the environment, and necessary for humans to eat, Morton believed the state needed more trees because it was a more permanent and long term solution for aesthetics and erosion.  So he sponsored the very first tree planting campaign on April 10, 1872.  It was such a hit that word spread quickly to other states and regions and in 1876, just four years later, the state of Minnesota adopted his initiative.  Today all 50 states observe Arbor Day on various dates planting millions of trees each year.

One of the main reasons humans can live on this planet is because of trees.  They consume CO2 and expel oxygen which is what we need to breathe.  Yet, millions upon millions of trees are cut down or burned from wildfires, logging, and farming.  A recent study suggests that we now have half the number of trees we had just a couple hundred years ago.  That is a VERY scary figure.  While we use and ultimately need trees to build structures, make paper, and a host of other uses, they can be replaced just as easily.  It’s not rocket science.  So for your sake, for your children’s sake, for your grandkid’s sake… plant a tree, and support organizations that plant as well.  For more info on everything tree related, to find an Arbor Day weekend event near you, or to donate to a reputable tree planting organization, you can visit the Minnesota DNR website here…  http://dnr.state.mn.us/arbormonth/index.html  or Arborday.org