Arbor Day has Midwest roots. Here's what you need to know about the upcoming holiday

Arbor Day is nature’s holiday but why do we celebrate it, and what is Arbor Day?

American Arbor Day was first celebrated on April 10, 1872, in Nebraska City, Nebraska. Julius Sterling Morton, a newspaper editor, who later served as Grover Cleveland’s secretary of agriculture, proposed the annual holiday during a state agriculture board meeting. It is estimated that more than a million trees were planted in Nebraska during the first Arbor Day celebration.

However, the first Arbor Day celebration has roots in Spain. The Spanish village of Mondoñedo held the first documented arbor plantation in 1594, with a festival that lasted three days.

Following the first American Arbor Day celebration in 1872, other states and territories and even other countries began to celebrate. Arbor Day officially became a nationwide holiday in 1970 when President Richard Nixon proclaimed the last Friday in April as National Arbor Day.

What is Arbor Day?

Arbor Day is a secular holiday dedicated to celebrating trees and promoting tree planting with a primary goal to raise awareness about the importance of trees for the environment, wildlife, and human well-being.

When is Arbor Day?

Arbor Day is annually celebrated on the last Friday of April. This year Arbor Day is on April 26.

What is the difference between Arbor Day and Earth Day?

Arbor Day and Earth Day are both observed annually every April; however, there are differences between the two holidays.

Earth Day is dedicated to raising awareness and promoting action on various environmental issues like pollution and deforestation, and advocates for environmental protection and improving sustainability practices.

Earth Day was first celebrated on April 22, 1970, founded by Senator Gaylord Nelson, a national day of education about environmental issues. Since then, Earth Day has become an internationally recognized holiday celebrated on April 22.

Jessica Rish is an entertainment, dining and business reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. She can be reached at JRish@press-citizen.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @rishjessica_

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: What is Arbor Day and why do we celebrate it in April?