Although many community celebrations and tree plantings have had to be postponed or cancelled, there is still a lot to celebrate this Arbor Day. Getting outside and spending time around trees is good for our health and well-being. Here are some resources you and your community can use to learn about and celebrate trees this Arbor Day.
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A lot of us are spending more time than ever at home, in our backyards, and walking around our neighborhoods. So this is a perfect time to get to know your neighborhood trees!
Take a walk around your neighborhood or visit a local park and see how many of these common urban trees you can find. Use the Arbor Day Bingo card below, or download it here.
Tree identification help
It is more challenging to identify trees when they don’t have their leaves, but it’s not impossible! Some tips and resources:
Let us know how you do on Arbor Day Bingo and share any trees you're not sure of or that aren't on the cards. Connect with Hennepin Environment on Facebook, @hennepinenviro on Twitter, or trees@hennepin.us.
One of our foresters, Dustin, joined us from his backyard to share spring tree care tips.
First up: removing the bark protection from young trees. This is important to help young trees grow because they can actually photosynthesize through their bark! We also explore how to assess rabbit damage. Watch here.
Next up, tips for pruning trees and shrubs that have experienced significant damage from rabbits, and advice on proper mulching. Mulch helps protect roots and retain water in the soil surrounding the tree, but you want to make sure to create a “donut” around the stem so you don’t damage the tree. Watch here.
Our forestry education partner Project Learning Tree has compiled numerous activities that families can use to learn together about nature. They offer activities suitable for children ages 3 to 15 that you can do in a forest or local park, on a walk in your neighborhood, in your backyard, and even in your home.
Online Project Learning Tree education courses
If you're looking to advance your skills in teaching about trees, Project Learning Tree is currently offering 50% off their online courses. Use code EARTHDAY20 to access the discount through April 30.
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Courses available:
Hennepin County has healthy tree canopy grants available for tree plantings, ash tree removals, tree inventories, outreach and more. Grants are available to cities, affordable housing properties, schools, and nonprofit organizations.
The grants aim to combat threats to trees from invasive insects and disease, educate the public on tree care and the importance of trees, and increase the diversity and resiliency of the tree canopy.
Applications are due by 3 p.m. on Thursday, June 18. Learn more and apply.
For more information, feedback on your project ideas, or help with your application, contact the Hennepin County forestry team at trees@hennepin.us.
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Take climate action, one tree at a time
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources shares tips and resources every May to celebrate Arbor Month. This year, they are focusing on how planting and caring for trees helps to reduce the effects of climate change.
To decrease the impacts of climate change, they suggest:
Help spread the word
- Show your commitment by adding the DNR's Arbor Month frame to your Facebook profiles picture. They are premiering it on Arbor Day on their Facebook page.
- Watch for and share daily Arbor Month tweets from DNR Forestry (@mnforestry on Twitter)
- Watch for and share weekly Arbor Month posts on the DNR's Facebook page (@MinnesotaDNR on Facebook)
Take a moment to breathe deep and destress by learning about the practice of forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku in Japanese. It's a slow-moving guided hike that promotes the health and wellness benefits of connecting with nature and your senses. MPR recently featured an interview with a certified nature and forestry therapy guide that includes a video of a guided forest bathing session.
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