Perhaps you thought Arbor Day was an austere kind of a day devoted to all things serious about trees. And to a large extent, it is.
But did you know Arbor Day is also a great time to party with trees? Here are two projects for family and friends:
Make a tree famous
Find a majestic tree in your town and make it famous — or at least try. The best way is to make an official submission to AmericanForests.org, which keeps a database of fantastically large trees by state.
The rules require you to measure the height and width of a tree, its crown spread and find the 'points.' This can be done with a 100-foot tape measure and yard stick, believe it or not. This measuring technique, described on the site, would be a good trigonometry lesson for high schoolers. Short cut: You can also use a smartphone these days to make the calculations with apps like Theodolite. Your tree publicity efforts will also require you to take photos, get a GPS location, and find the scientific and common name of the species.
The state natural resources department usually has a database of big area trees. You could also try submitting your tree there.
Plan a Seedling Party
Head out to a wooded area or any place that needs trees, and plant some 6- to 12-inch seedlings. To make it fun, give away some Arbor Day swag (available at arborday.org): Bracelets (green, naturally), Plant Trees buttons, stickers, water bottles, mugs, hats, and other items.
One website, The Salonniere, goes so far as to suggest an Arbor Day party playlist; songs include "Little Willow" by Paul McCartney, "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree" by the Glenn Miller Orchestra, "Norwegian Wood" by The Beatles, and "Mango Tree" by Zac Brown Band and Sara Bareilles, among others.
Be sure to bring a tree field guide so you can identify the neighbors of your seedlings.
