On April 25, 2024, Champaign Park District and Jefferson Middle School sixth graders collaborated to plant several new trees in Centennial Park for Arbor Day!
History of Arbor Day
The origins of Arbor Day date back to the early 1870s in Nebraska City. A journalist by the name of Julius Sterling Morton moved to the state with his wife, Caroline, in 1854, a little more than 10 years before Nebraska gained its statehood in 1867. The couple purchased 160 acres in Nebraska City and planted a wide variety of trees and shrubs in what was a primarily a flat stretch of desolate plain.
On January 7, 1872, Morton proposed a day that would encourage all Nebraskans to plant trees in their community. The agriculture board agreed, and after some back-and-forth about the title—the event was originally going to be called “Sylvan Day” in reference to forest trees—Morton convinced everyone that the day should reflect the appreciation of all trees, and “Arbor Day” was born.
Trees Planted
The American Yellowwood (Cladrastis kentukea) may be America’s most inherently valuable native tree for landscaping. As a bloomer and small shade tree, it deserves greater recognition and consideration for its fine qualities. Natives are often considered within their natural range because of their adaptation to local conditions, and in the case of yellowwood, because it is not commonly found growing in the wild.
London Planetree is a hybrid resulting from a cross between the native sycamore and the non-native Asian planetree. Like sycamore, this is a large tree with beautiful peeling bark.
