Special Article for Master Gardener Arbor Day
Darrell Blackwelder
March 20, 2003

    Damp, dreary weather this week did not hamper the spirits of Arbor Day in Rowan County. Cooperative Extension's Master Gardener Volunteers joined over 1770 students and teachers in a celebration of trees.
Scott Rhodes spearheaded the countywide Arbor Day Celebration, which is a major project for the Master Gardener Volunteer program. Rhodes coordinated the project with the schools and Master Gardener Volunteer team leaders, Joanne Johnson, Pat Cheek, Bunny Fagan and Susan Cloninger. The mission of the volunteers was to help celebrate Arbor Day by providing educational information about the impact of trees to our world.
    Implementing this countywide program was no easy task. A few years ago only four grammar schools participated in the program. Since then, the program continued to grow reaching all public and private grammar schools in Rowan County. Over 20 Master Gardener Volunteers and many hours of coordination were instrumental in achieving this successful program.
    Master Gardener Volunteers coordinated the Arbor Day program to reach all 3rd grade students within one week. In addition to the educational effort, all students received a pine seedling which was donated by the Rowan County Master Gardener Association. With the help of approximately 20 Master Gardener Volunteers, an assembly-line technique was used last week to separate wrap and bundle nearly 2000 pine seedlings.
    Cooperative Extensions' mission is to provide educational information to all citizens, especially the youth component. Arbor Day Celebration is just one of many youth programs offered by Cooperative Extension's Master Gardener Volunteer Program.
                                                                Arbor Day/Tree Facts
Arbor Day in North Carolina is the First Friday following March 15-March 21

State Tree for North Carolina is Pine

Arbor Day was first observed in Nebraska in 1872

Arbor Day is celebrated in many countries around the world.

The oldest tree in the world is a Bristlecone pine in California called "Methuselah". It is 4,767 years old.

Pecan trees in were here when Spanish were exploring the New World in the 1500's

In 50 years one tree recycles more than $37,000 worth of water, provides $31,000 worth of erosion control, $62,000 worth of air pollution control, and produces $37,000 worth of oxygen.

Trees increase property values by 5 to 20% due to their landscaping value

Well placed trees help cut energy costs and consumption by decreasing air conditioning costs 10-50% & reducing heating costs as much as 4-22%.

Trees are the longest living and largest living organisms on Earth.

Trees are a renewable, recyclable resource

Trees clean carbon dioxide from the air and make oxygen. An acre of trees produces enough oxygen for 18 people.

Each urban tree with a 50-year lifespan provides an estimated $273 a year in reduced costs for air conditioning, erosion control, stormwater control, air pollution, and wildlife shelter.

There are approximately 18.7 million acres or forestland in North Carolina Private forest landowners control 76 percent of the State's timberland. Nearly 295,000 acres were harvested annually, while 357,000 per year were regenerated both by artificial and natural means.