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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Report - March 7, 2007 D-02aAGENDA ITEM bwZ& AM CITY OF LQDI %W COUNCIL COMMUNICATION 7M AGENDA TITLE: Arbor Day Proclamation (Tree City USA) MEATH DATE: March 7, 2007 PREPARED BY: PublieWorks Director RECOMMENDED ACTION: Present a proclamation proclaiming Arbor Day in the City of Lodi. BACKO*OUN© INFORMAMN: It all began in Nebraska City, Nebraska, 134 years ago. A special day was set aside for planting trees. This tree planting idea caught on and now we celebrate Arbor Day every year. All over the world, people are planting trees in their yards and in their communities, caring for them, and learning about their value. Here in the United States, we call this tree planting festival "Arbor Day". In other lands, you may hear it called Arbor Week, Tree Holiday, or Tree Festival. In Japan, it is called Greening Week, In Israel, it is called the New Year's Day of the Trees. Korea actually has a Tree -Loving Week, and Iceland has a Student's Afforestation Day. (Notice the word "forest" hidden in that complicated word.) This means "to change open land into forest." People in India celebrate a National Festival of Tree Planting. Whatever people call this special time of year, they are sharing the news that trees are important to us all, wherever we live around the world. This year, Lodi Unified School District will participate, along with Public Works, Parks & Recreation, Electric Utilities, and Tree Lodi volunteers, to help the City of Lodi celebrate Arbor Day. Arbor Day's Beginnings On January 4, 1872, Julius Sterling Morton first proposed a tree -planting holiday, to be called "Arbor Day", at a meeting of the State Board of Agriculture. The date was set for April 10, 1872. Prizes were offered to counties and individuals for planting the largest number of trees properly on that day. It was estimated that more than one million trees were planted in Nebraska on the first Arbor Day. Arbor Day was officially proclaimed by the young state's Governor Robert W. Furnas on March 12, 1874, and the day itself was observed April 10, 1874. In 1885, Arbor Day was named a legal holiday in Nebraska, and April 22nd, Morton's birthday, was selected as the date for its permanent observance. During the 1870s, other states passed legislation to observe Arbor Day and the tradition began in schools nationwide in 1882. Arbor Day has now spread beyond the United States and is observed in many countries of the world. Lodi has been designated as a Tree City USA for a fifth consecutive year. This designation affords us preference over other communities for grant money for trees or forestry programs and gives us an enhanced public image as a city that cares about its trees. APPROVED: Blair King, Manager K:1WP1COU4CILl07VArborDayProdamation2OD7.doc 212212007 Arbor 4$y Proclarr bon (Treo City USA) March 7 2007 Page 2 In theof Load, tress are r ry impalFtant. The c el*wskin of Arbor Daygives am opporturAy to W*n: about t s aind lake Oosittve ction to make the vaarfd a better place. H6re is a dick` fist of mates tress ar so important to us A: •Iteas provide shade �) keep us and our homes cool on hot summer days. • 1 ee% gi�a off vital ox en through photosynthesis which you and I and arOmals need to bmalh* • 4ees abacort harmful Pollutants and small particles from the air tttat could damage our lungs. + I provide protection from the wind. • ees reduce noise potion. • fees givo us Oroduco such as: chewing gum, crayons, soap, shatterproof glass, sum lotion, aork, dyes, l#e-saving4rugs, writing paper, syrup, perkam, pencils, Orewood, buiidifV maberi0s a0d much, mucth more. I" provide a homeland food for wildlife. *ttMg kis and leave eventually tum into sail and put nutrients back into the soil for other pian t : gr€ w. + des are beautiful to 1pok at, rice to listen to as leaves rustle in the breeze, fun to explore, exciting to climb, and feat to dream under. Staff wo4#d We to invil a the f1 or, the City Council, the City AAaxrager, and the community to this year's Arbor D motion. This "pars ev*nt will be hold on Friday, 6, 2 a. 007, 10,00 m. to 2:00 p.m., at Lois E. Orcharktt School. Bolchardt School students wHI be planting tresis at the school. FISCAL *~T: Not applicable. FUmll 40r bi. : Not applicable. P-Ift,..�.� M • 41li Prepared byf ease M. Bradley, Streets Vid Drainage Manager RCPtGMB/l /dsg cc: D.; heN! ScFalaeugf City A y Tvn� dE6 Recaea . Direr Ste .Dui, mend Ray e,'iee Supe r K:IWMCOUF L.07OAm-Mo"obrnation2*.doc 2r&*7