News
Governor Rell announces Arbor Day celebrations
By Governor Rell's office
Apr 24, 2008 - 11:03:04 PM

Tree Plantings Scheduled Throughout the State

Governor M. Jodi Rell announced today that more than dozen tree planting ceremonies have been scheduled throughout the state for Friday and over the weekend to celebrate Arbor Day, including a tree planting event at the State Office Building in Hartford.

“Historically, Arbor Day celebrations have been local events primarily focused on how tree plantings help beautify the community,” Governor Rell said. “This year and into the future, these annual celebrations will take on greater significance as we fully grasp the beneficial role trees can play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”

To mark Arbor Day 2008 and highlight the importance of tree planting in addressing environmental concerns, a number of state agency heads will be planting six trees along the perimeter of the State Office Building at 165 Capitol Avenue. The tree planting will start at noon. In addition to five white oaks, one elm tree – an offspring of The Survivor Tree, a 90-year old American elm that survived the April 19, 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.

Other Arbor Day tree plantings planned throughout the state include:

April 25th

East Hartford – 9:30 am at Hockanum School

Stamford – 10:00 am at Mill River Park

Hartford – 10:00 am at Bushnell Park

Southbury – 10:00 am at Gainsfield School

Groton – 1:15 pm at SB Butler Elementary School

Fairfield – 2:00 pm at the Fairfield Historic Center

Monroe – 1:30 pm at Fawn Hollow School

Norwalk – 1:45 pm at Rowayton School

Over the weekend there will be Arbor Day events in Wethersfield and Brookfield.

“Tree plantings are another great example of a OneThing each of us can do to help protect our environment and preserve our natural resources. Just as is the case with Earth Day, each and everyone one of us can host our own Arbor Day event right in your backyard and help become part of the solution to some of greatest environmental challenges, such as climate change,” Governor Rell said.

Trees play an important role in efforts to address climate change. Urban tree planting programs help to conserve energy – properly planted trees in urban areas can decrease energy use by reducing wind speed in the winter and by shading buildings and lowering air temperatures in the summer. On a larger scale, forests sequester or store carbon, preventing its release into the atmosphere.

The country’s first Arbor Day celebration was held in April 1874 in Nebraska when J. Sterling Morton initiated an effort to plant as many trees as possible in the relatively treeless Nebraska Territory. Arbor Day in Connecticut was first celebrated on April 29, 1887, led by Governor Phineas C. Lounsbury.

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