JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) encourages Missourians to celebrate the value of Missouri trees and forests during Arbor Days in April by planting native trees and practicing proper tree care.
MDC encourages Missourians to celebrate the value of Missouri trees and forests during Arbor Days in April by planting native trees and practicing proper tree care. Shown from a past Arbor Day activity is MDC Community Forester Jon Skinner helping kids plant a native serviceberry tree.
Missouri Arbor Day is Friday, April 3. Missouri has been observing the state’s official Arbor Day on the first Friday in April for 140 years — since 1886 — when the General Assembly declared the day be set aside for the appreciation and planting of trees. National Arbor Day is recognized on the last Friday of April, which is April 24.
Get information on backyard tree care – including types of trees for urban and other landscapes, selecting the right tree for the right place, planting tips, watering and pruning info, and more – at www.mdc.mo.gov/trees-plants/tree-care
Get native trees! Our George O. White State Forest Nursery near Licking offers residents a variety of low-cost native tree and shrub seedlings for reforestation, windbreaks, erosion control, and wildlife food and cover. Orders are accepted to April 15. For more information, visit www.mdc.mo.gov/trees-plants/tree-seedlings
Communities around the state also hold local Arbor Day activities. For more information on Arbor Day and Missouri’s Tree City USA communities, visit the Arbor Day Foundation at www.arborday.org/
Missouri forests cover about one-third of the state and provide outdoor recreation, wildlife habitat, natural beauty, and watersheds for stream and rivers.
Spending time in Missouri forests can provide a natural health benefit, too. Exposure to nature contributes to physical well-being, reduces blood pressure and heart rate, relieves stress, and boosts energy. Get more information at www.mdc.mo.gov/trees-plants/forest-care