Please join us for our Arbor Day celebration on Friday, April 28, 2017, in the Nannen Arboretum. The Town of Ellicottville Supervisor, Matt McAndrew, and the Village of Ellicottville Mayor, John Burrell, will make a proclamation declaring April 28, 2017 as Arbor Day in Ellicottville, NY. A tree will be planted by the Nannen Arboretum Society and the Tree City USA flag will be raised. Refreshments will be available after the ceremony in the Town Center auditorium.
Arbor Day is an annual observance that celebrates the role of trees in our lives and promotes tree planting and care. The idea for Arbor Day in the United States originated in Nebraska City, Nebraska. J. Sterling Morton and his wife, Caroline, were lovers of nature and the home they established in Nebraska was quickly planted with trees, shrubs and flowers. In 1872, the Nebraska State Board of Agriculture accepted a resolution by Morton to “set aside one day to plant trees, both forest and fruit.” The Board declared April 10, 1872, Arbor Day offering prizes to the counties and individuals that properly planted the largest number of trees on that day. More than one million trees were planted in Nebraska on the first Arbor Day. J. Sterling Morton became known as the “Founder of Arbor Day.”
Shortly after this 1872 observance, other states passed legislation to observe Arbor Day each year with appropriate ceremonies. New York State celebrates Arbor Day on the last Friday in April, the 28th this year. Planting trees is an act of kindness and optimism. The trees we plant clean the air, beautify our neighborhoods, provide homes for wildlife, conserve energy and topsoil, and help keep the atmosphere in balance. Life is just better when we live among the trees.
The Nannen Arboretum Society is a not-for-profit, volunteer based.comanization dedicated to providing home garden and natural resource education and an opportunity for nature appreciation and leisure. The society membership is open to anyone who desires to support the arboretum’s mission. Contact us at info@nannenarboretum.com to join, we welcome new members. Also check out our website at www.nannenarboretum.com.
We encourage you to visit the arboretum during the month of May when the crabapple trees at the entrance are in bloom as well as other flowering trees and shrubs throughout the arboretum. It is one of the prettiest times of the year especially after our long, cold winter.
The arboretum is funded by donations and grants. The Society is currently reviewing grant opportunities and encourages you to consider one of the following donation opportunities:
• Monetary donation – you may donate directly to the donation box located at the entry shelter at the Nannen Arboretum or on our website www.nannenarboretum.com or by check to Nannen Arboretum Society at the address below.
• Memorial Bricks for the Celebration Walkway – bricks are available in 2 sizes, 4” x 8” or 8” x 8” and can be ordered on our website www.nannenarboretum.com or contact us via email or snail mail for an order form.
• The gift of a tree or shrub – you may choose from a pre-selected list of trees and shrubs native to the Western New York area. Contact us for details via email or snail mail.
• A polywood bench memorialized with your personal message and/or special name on a brass plaque. Contact us for details via email or snail mail.
Nannen Arboretum Society
PO Box 1016
Ellicottville, NY 14731
info@nannenarboretum.com
www.nannenarboretum.com
Donations made to Nannen Arboretum Society
are tax deductible under federal income tax rules.
April and May are great months to visit the Nannen Arboretum as the landscape changes from the black and white of winter to shades of spring time. We hope to see you there.