 
Assembly Resolution No. 192
 
BY: M. of A. Lupardo
 
        COMMEMORATING  April 30, 2021, as Arbor Day in the
        State of New York
 
  WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative  Body  to  support  and
promote the historic and significant observance of Arbor Day in New York
State; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Attendant  to  such  concern,  and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this  Legislative  Body  is  justly  proud  to
commemorate  Friday,  April  30,  2021, as Arbor Day in the State of New
York; and
 
  WHEREAS, Passed by virtue of the New York State Legislature, May  3,
1888,  became  the first Arbor Day in the great Empire State; today, New
York State celebrates Arbor Day annually on the last  Friday  in  April;
and
 
  WHEREAS,  The  first  Arbor  Day  took  place  on April 10, 1872, in
Nebraska; it was the brainchild of Julius Sterling Morton (1832-1902), a
Nebraska journalist and politician originally from Michigan;  throughout
his  long  and  productive  career,  Julius  Morton  worked  to  improve
agricultural techniques in his adopted state and throughout  the  United
States  when  he  served  as  President  Grover Cleveland's Secretary of
Agriculture, but his most important legacy is Arbor Day; and
 
  WHEREAS, Julius Morton felt that Nebraska's  landscape  and  economy
would  benefit  from the wide-scale planting of trees; he set an example
himself planting orchards, shade trees and wind breaks on his  own  farm
and he urged his neighbors to follow suit; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Julius  Morton's real opportunity arrived when he became a
member of Nebraska's state board of  agriculture;  he  proposed  that  a
special  day  be  set  aside  dedicated  to tree planting and increasing
awareness of the importance of trees; and
 
  WHEREAS, Nebraska's first Arbor Day was  an  amazing  success;  more
than  one  million  trees were planted; a second Arbor Day took place in
1884, and the young state made it an annual legal holiday in 1885, using
April 22nd to coincide with Julius Morton's birthday; and
 
  WHEREAS, In  the  years  following  that  first  Arbor  Day,  Julius
Morton's  idea  spread beyond Nebraska with Kansas, Tennessee, Minnesota
and Ohio, all proclaiming their own Arbor Days;  today,  all  50  states
celebrate  Arbor  Day  although  the  dates may vary in keeping with the
local climate; and
 
  WHEREAS, At the federal level,  in  1970,  President  Richard  Nixon
proclaimed the last Friday in April as National Arbor Day; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Arbor  Day  is  also  now  celebrated  in  other countries
including Australia; variations  are  celebrated,  including:  "Greening
Week"  of  Japan,  "The  New  Year's  Days  of  Trees"  in  Israel, "The
Tree-Loving Week" of Korea, "The Reforestation Week" of Yugoslavia, "The
 
Students' Afforestation Day" of Iceland and "The  National  Festival  of
Tree Planting" in India; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Superstorm Sandy wreaked havoc on our region, cut power to
millions of homes  and  businesses  from  the  Carolinas  to  Ohio,  and
disrupted the presidential campaign; and
 
  WHEREAS,  This  vicious storm also ravaged trees and greenery around
homes and neighborhoods; the long term damage is just  beginning  to  be
seen  now; while seemingly intact, many trees are shocked and brown from
the lashing by hurricane-force and salt laden winds,  while  others  may
not even survive; and
 
  WHEREAS, The trees and shrubs on Long Island help reduce storm water
runoff,  prevent  soil  erosion, provide habitat and shade, beautify the
landscape and protect our bays and harbors; and
 
  WHEREAS, Thousands upon thousands of trees were lost on Long Island;
April 22, 2021, which is designated as Earth Day in  the  State  of  New
York,  along  with Arbor Day, April 30, 2021, marks the perfect time for
all citizens to plant a tree to replace one that was lost; and
 
  WHEREAS, In addition to restoring our landscape there is an economic
benefit to having a host of healthy trees in our region:  in  50  years,
one  tree  recycles  more  than $37,000 worth of water, provides $31,000
worth of erosion control, $62,000 worth of air  pollution  control,  and
produces  $37,000 worth of oxygen; and well placed trees help cut energy
costs and consumption by decreasing air conditioning  costs  10-50%  and
reducing heating costs as much as 4-22%; and
 
  WHEREAS, Furthermore, trees increase property values by 5 to 20% due
to their landscaping value; trees are good noise barriers, making cities
and  neighborhoods  quieter places to live; trees enhance the aesthetics
of our  environment;  trees  help  prevent  city  flooding  by  catching
raindrops  and  offsetting  runoff caused by buildings and parking lots;
and trees provide privacy, highlight views or screen  them,  and  reduce
glare; and
 
  WHEREAS,  According to a Chinese proverb: "One generation plants the
trees under whose shade future generations rest"; and
 
  WHEREAS, This Legislative Body  is  now  moved  to  commemorate  the
observance  of  Arbor Day and to acknowledge the efforts of citizens who
plant and care for trees and  woodlands  in  their  neighborhoods;  now,
therefore, be it
 
  RESOLVED,  That  this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate April 30, 2021, as Arbor Day in the State of New York.
Commemorating April 30, 2021, as Arbor Day in the State of New York

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