Conway, Arkansas, Celebrates Arbor Day in Fall: Best Time to Plant Trees

Conway, Arkansas celebrates Arbor Day in the fall every year, rather than on the nationally observed holiday on the last Friday in April. Fall is a great time to plant trees. Trees are planted at several local schools and parks for the celebration. Often trees are planted at schools in the spring, then, during the summer, there is a water shortage and the new trees can suffer. Fall-planted trees have time to get used to their environment before winter gets here.

On Arbor Day, there is all sorts of entertainment, mini-seminars, and art displays specially chosen for the event. There are also prizes and, of course, free trees given away to honor Arbor Day. Interesting fact: The first Arbor Day took place on April 10, 1872 in Nebraska.

Over the course of fifty years, a single tree can generate $31,500 worth of oxygen, provide $62,000 worth of air pollution control, recycle $37,500 worth of water, and control $31,500 worth of soil erosion, according to the USDA Forest Service. That is really amazing .

Conway, Arkansas wants to increase the tree canopy here. Several trees have been planted recently in downtown Conway to help redo the "downtown' image. The city really did a beautiful job. Trees help keep the water that falls on the city out of buildings and homes. It slows it down. Every time a tree drinks water, that's water not going into the storm water system. On Arbor Day, Conway will celebrate all their trees and plant more trees.

Trees also save developers and homeowners money. Cooling costs can be reduced by keeping existing trees or planting new ones near a home or business to provide shade. There are several stores in town such as Lowe's and Home Depot that have small trees for sell. Tree experts are available that can answer any questions that you have about planting, what kind to buy, care, etc... Also nurseries and landscapers are a good place to go for all your tree needs.

My family loves trees. We have a gigantic Oak tree in front of our house. I couldn't tell you how old it is. My youngest son is in Forestry this year in school. He doesn't know the answer to that question yet. All I know is that it shades the front part of our house. Birds and squirrels love it. We had thousands and thousands of locusts hatch out of the ground and left their shells in this tree. Our kids and cat also like to climb it. It's a special tree to our family.

Be sure to plant a tree for Arbor Day.

Sources:
www.conwaytrees.org
USDA Forest Service- www.fs.fed.us/