For the Tomahawk Leader
WISCONSIN – Free tree seedlings are available to every fourth grade student in the Badger State as part of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR)’s annual Arbor Day tree planting program.
Wisconsin fourth grade principals, teachers and those who homeschool can now place seedling orders and coordinate delivery by completing the 2024 Arbor Day application (www.dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/treeplanting/arborform) by March 15, 2024.
“Planting seedlings from state nurseries is a great way to celebrate Arbor Day (April 26, 2024), which is dedicated to increasing the number of trees across the country to help improve the environment,” DNR stated. “By ordering seedlings, you can help.”
Through its fourth grade Arbor Day tree planting program, the DNR provides interactive education to Wisconsin students around the importance of trees within our environment. Annually, the DNR provides approximately 50,000 free tree seedlings to fourth-grade students throughout the state.
Seedlings come protected to keep backpacks clean, and shipments include educational information on how to best plant and care for seedlings and trees.
“Trees provide a variety of benefits to both people and the planet,” said Heather Berklund, DNR Chief State Forester. “They give off oxygen, trap carbon dioxide, feed and provide shelter for furry forest creatures and provide materials to build a variety of essential household items. This program enables us to bring forest education directly to the hands of students and teach them about the importance of trees and of managing and restoring our forests.”
In 2021, Governor Tony Evers signed an Executive Order pledging to protect and restore Wisconsin’s forestland by planting 75 million trees by 2030 as part of the U.S. Chapter of the Global Trillion Trees Initiative.
Arbor Day is a holiday during which individuals and groups are encouraged to plant trees. The holiday originated in Nebraska in 1872 and is now celebrated nationally. Wisconsin’s Arbor Day is celebrated on the last Friday in April and is usually linked with Earth Day.
For more ways to celebrate Arbor Day, visit www.dnr.wisconsin.gov/education/arborday.
