louisiana arbor day

While the national Arbor Day is held in April (the 25th this year), some states have their own Arbor Days that follow their best planting times. Since Louisiana's optimum tree planting season ends in March, Louisiana's Arbor Day is held each year on the third Friday in January. So happy Louisiana Arbor Day! (And happy Florida Arbor Day if that's where you are. All you other states will have to wait until at least next month for your special Arbor Day.)

Arbor Day was started in Nebraska in 1872, and is focused on planting and caring for trees. The Arbor Day Foundation is an organization that oversees Arbor Day activities and provides information on tree planting for anyone interested.

So what's going on in Louisiana today and this weekend to celebrate Arbor Day?

• TreesAcadiana members and volunteers, along with the Lafayette Consolidated Government and Northeast Gateway Neighborhood Coterie, will be planting trees in the brand-new median along Louisiana Avenue, north of Interstate 10, between Butcher Switch and Maryview Farm Road. The group is gathering to begin planting at 8 a.m. tomorrow, January 18.
• Terrebonne Parish's Tree Board will be giving 1,000 trees away tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Main Library in Houma.
• The Louisiana Forestry Association gave away 1,000 seedlings yesterday in Alexandria for the tenth year. Some recipients were lined up half an hour before the start time! 
• The Lafayette Garden Club planted a Live Oak tree in honor of recently deceased members and spouses. The ceremony also included a reading of What is a Tree by the Garden Club chair.
• Crowley officials and residents dedicated its Arbor Day ceremony to the Attakapas Study Club this morning, January 17.
• The Louisiana State Arboretum will celebrate Arbor Day tomorrow, January 18 from 10 a.m to 4 p.m. The Arboretum Nature Center is located six miles north of the booming metropolis Ville Platte, on Hwy. 3042.
• New Orleans celebrated with a tree planting in Brechtel Park, and the event was hosted by the Department of Parks and Westbank Algiers Garden Clubs.
• Mandeville, Covington and Slidell have a variety of events going on in each town tomorrow, January 18.
• Dr. Kamran Abdollahi from Southern University gave the key note address in yesterday's Louisiana Arbor Day 2014 Celebration, held at the LSU Lod Cook Center.

Whether or not you participate in a city-wide Arbor Day event, or you plant a single tree in your own yard, you'll be making a difference in your local nature!