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Birds are chirping, flowers are emerging and the days are getting longer. Love the outdoors? Consider planting a tree to bring even more natural beauty to your yard, garden or patio this spring and celebrate the 150th anniversary of Arbor Day, nationally observed the last Friday in April.
Arbor Day, first held in 1872, was envisioned as a way to spread awareness about the importance of trees and to encourage tree planting. A century and a half later, tree planting is still important, and Arbor Day is an opportunity to connect with nature and learn why trees are essential for communities and the environment.
Get in touch with trees using tips and info in this forest-filled newsletter. Have questions about ways to celebrate Arbor Day? Contact Rachel Coale.
In this newsletter:
 The Michigan Department of Natural Resources will be a cooperative partner in achieving a global goal of restoring and growing a trillion trees through the Trillion Trees campaign. To further this goal, the DNR has pledged to plant 50 million trees by 2030 and aims to inspire people to join the effort.
Want to help? Plant a tree and tell us about it! Add your tree to an interactive map and learn more about tree planting with our Mi Trees webpage.
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Let's get to the root of Michigan's native trees, which are adapted to our state's weather conditions and provide food and shelter to many species of wildlife. Some species even require certain trees to survive, like the Kirtland's warbler that nests only in young jack pine forests.
From beech trees to black walnuts, view our growing tree species webpage to learn more.
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There's no better way to celebrate Arbor Day than by bringing home a tree to plant!
Know the basics of tree care to ensure that your tree will grow healthy and strong.
- Choose the right tree for your location and climate. Don't plant under a power line or over underground service lines – visit MissDig.org to get them marked.
- Dig a hole three times wider than the tree’s container and about as deep.
- Set the tree in the middle of the hole, and bring the root collar (the place where the roots meet the stem) just above ground level.
- Backfill the hole firmly with soil, creating a basin where water can settle.
- Water the tree and spread mulch around the base, leaving space around the trunk. Don’t build a mulch "volcano" around the tree’s trunk, which can grow mold and harm the tree.
- Water frequently in the first year and watch your tree grow big and beautiful.
Get more details from the Arbor Day Foundation tree planting guide.
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Want to give back to the forest you love? Volunteer with Adopt-a-Forest!
Volunteers are essential to helping keep forests clean and eliminate illegal dump sites that are ugly and harmful to wildlife. On Earth Day this year, Adopt-a-Forest volunteers helped clean up 330 pickup loads of trash and 212 tires from Michigan public lands. You can search for places in need of help, filtering by location and size, on our dumpsite map.
Learn more and become a volunteer at Michigan.gov/AdoptaForest.
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