National Arbor Day is here! Celebrated on the last Friday in April, the holiday honors the role trees play in our communities and environment. Providing shade, food, fuel, wildlife habitat, and of course, beauty, trees provide immense benefits wherever they are found.
Will you plant a tree today? Or perhaps you’d like to maintain the health of the trees already growing on your property? We’ve got you covered! The stories below will help guide your Arbor Day celebrations.
Trees provide many things for our communities: beauty, energy conservation, reduction of soil erosion, filtering air pollutants, raising property values, a home for wildlife and so much more.
Planting for the Future: Why Technique Matters for Trees
Planting a tree is more than placing roots in the ground—it’s an investment in your landscape’s future. Done well, it can offer decades of shade, structure, and ecological value. Done hastily, it may lead to poor growth, early decline, and costly removal.
Essential Care Tips for Newly Planted Trees
How do we care for our newly planted trees to make sure we get them through that initial three-year establishment period? Let’s look at four practices to get your tree growing on the right root.
Consider Planting Native Trees in Your Landscape
Now is a perfect time for thinking about adding a native tree to your landscape. The list of choices is large. To help get you started, here are a few examples of Wisconsin native species to consider.
Plant an Oak for Arbor Day: Support the Food Web
In 1872, a Nebraska newspaper editor and tree lover named J. Sterling Morton proposed dedicating a day to planting trees in his home state. The idea, shall we say, took root.
Feeling Stressed? Help Yourself by Stepping Into the Shade of Trees
Have you ever considered a walk in a tree-shaded park to relieve stress? If you have, you’re hardly alone, according to new University of Florida research.
Trees are investments, whether we plant a tiny seedling that we grew ourselves, or a 20-foot tall tree that was moved in with a giant tree spade. When we plant trees, we’re investing in the future.
Don’t Be Stumped by Tree Problems
In urban settings like parks and yards, numerous challenges threaten tree health and longevity. Environmental or abiotic stressors are often the culprit, and as a tree’s health declines, it will become more susceptible to living or biotic organisms like pests or disease.
What Tree Is That?: A Beginner’s Guide to Tree Identification
I get a lot of calls about trees in trouble. My first question is always, “What kind of tree is it?”—and more often than not, folks just don’t know. But that’s the key first step. Insects and diseases tend to be species-specific, so to make a solid diagnosis and figure out a treatment, I need to know what I’m working with.
