 
Assembly Resolution No. 2317
 
BY: M. of A. Kelles
 
        COMMEMORATING  April 26, 2024, 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  26,  2024, 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 this great Empire State; today, New
York State celebrates Arbor Day annually on the last  Friday  in  April;
and
 
  WHEREAS,  This  year  marks  the 152nd Anniversary of Arbor Day; 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, There is a benefit to having a host of healthy trees in our
State;  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 26, 2024, as Arbor Day in the State of New York.
Commemorating April 26, 2024, as Arbor Day in the State of New York

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