The Morton Arb

Our Impact

Arbor Day

ArborDayPhoto1Each year, people all over the world take one day to celebrate all that trees do for us and to plant trees for the future. In Illinois, Arbor Day is the last Friday in April.

Arbor Day is an opportunity to remember how important trees are to our lives, giving us green and welcome shade, surrounding us with beauty, cleaning the air we breathe, bringing calm to us and our communities and providing homes to birds and other wildlife, among many other benefits.

Families, neighbors and schools plant thousands of trees each Arbor Day. Every year, those trees grow a little taller, and the people who planted them feel a little prouder.

How Can You Celebrate Arbor Day?


VISIT THE ARBORETUM

We have a great line up of activities to help you celebrate trees.

  • Experience our 1,700 acres showcasing many thousands of trees from all over the world. Walk, drive, or cycle on our 16 miles of paved or wood-chipped trails, and pause often to appreciate the magnificent trees you will meet.
  • We celebrate the whole week around Arbor Day.
  • Contact the Arboretum Volunteer Office for ways to volunteer in our woodlands and other areas of the Arboretum.
  • Browse literature and information about trees at the Sterling Morton Library.


PLANT A TREE

The Morton Arboretum can answer all your questions about choosing and planting trees.


Have more questions? Visit our Plant Clinic or call 630-719-2424.

BRING ARBOR DAY TO YOUR COMMUNITY
 

  • The Arboretum is happy to help with community and school programs. To request outreach resources, fill out The Morton Arboretum Arbor Day Outreach Request Application.
  • Learn how the Arboretum's Community Trees Program is supporting and studying urban and community forests. Participate in a public tree planting. Each year, a tree is planted at the Arboretum to mark Arbor Day. Tree City USA® communities in Illinois also hold public Arbor Day celebrations; find out whether your community is one of them by visiting the Arbor Day Foundation website at arborday.org.
  • Schools, libraries, park districts, garden clubs, and municipalities often have local celebrations or provide seedling trees for children to plant on their own. Get children involved with Arbor Day; see the Arboretum's web page for teachers, Celebrate Arbor Day in Your Classroom.
  • Learn more about The Arboretum's ties to the history of Arbor Day.


Tree Tagging Kits

Have your class or community group learn more about what trees are really worth by calculating the dollar value of a tree's benefits and giving it a price tag. Our Tree Tagging Kits make it a fun, easy project.  Register HERE for a Tagging Kit


Tree Seedlings

Tree seedlings often are distributed to children and other participants at Arbor Day events. Seedlings are very young trees, usually just a few inches tall. They are usually bareroot (without soil) and should be packaged in plastic bags with their roots wrapped in wet newspaper or another material that holds moisture. They need to be handled carefully and kept cool and moist so that tiny roots don't dry out. Here are some sources for seedlings: