Parsippany to Celebrate Arbor Day

Parsippany has a thing for trees: It's been a Tree City USA for four decades. The affinity is obvious as one traverses township streets and sees the abundance of pear trees, oaks and maples.

Each year, the town reiterates that love for trees with a special ceremony. This year will be no different, and the municipality will hold the 2013 Arbor Day celebration at 11 a.m. Friday in the back lot of Town Hall.

What makes Arbor Day such a compelling holiday and trees in general so revered in the township? Because Parsippany and the nation understand the importance of keeping it green.

Arbor Day was first celebrated in Nebraska after pioneer J. Sterling Morton proposed a tree-planting holiday to the state's Board of Agriculture in 1872. Morton was a major advocate of planting trees and other greenery. Since then, the rest of the U.S. has caught on. Many states, including New Jersey, celebrate Arbor Day on the last Friday of April each year. 

The purpose of Arbor Day is to plant, nurture and celebrate trees. The national Arbor Day Foundation promotes its mission by distributing and planting about 15 million trees each year. 

In Parsippany, each third grader receives an Arbor Day seedling from the townin hopes the children will plant it in their back yards. The tradition, instituted by former Parks Director Joseph Jannarone Sr. in the 1980s, is all about sharing the love of trees with kids and making a better township: Planting trees in urban and suburban areas helps clean the air, curb stormwater runoff, raise property values, sequester carbon, and reduce energy costs, according the the Arbor Day Foundation. 

For more information about Arbor Day, visit the Arbor Day Foundation's website. 

Attending the township's Arbor Day event? Post your photos from the event or of your favorite trees on Patch by clicking on the "Upload Photos and Videos" button below.