LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION memorializing Governor David A. Paterson to
proclaim Friday, April 24, 2009, as Arbor Day in the State of New York

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to support and promote
the historic and significant observance of Arbor Day in New York State;
and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to memorial-
ize Governor David A. Paterson to proclaim Friday, April 24, 2009, as
Arbor Day in the State of New York, in conjunction with National Arbor
Day; and
WHEREAS, Passed by virtue of the New York State Legislature, May 3,
1888, became the first Arbor Day in the great Empire State; today, New
York State celebrates Arbor Day annually on the last Friday in April;
and
WHEREAS, This year's location for the celebration, West Capitol Park,
adjacent to the State Capitol, is a popular lunch-hour destination for
state employees and many workers in downtown Albany; the park is lined
with Greenspire Linden trees, and in honor of Arbor Day 2009, a new
Greenspire Linden was planted to replace one that had previously fallen;
and
WHEREAS, The first Arbor Day took place on April 10, 1872, in Nebras-
ka; it was the brainchild of Julius Sterling Morton (1832-1902), a
Nebraska journalist and politician originally from Michigan; throughout
his long and productive career, Julius Morton worked to improve agricul-
tural techniques in his adopted state and throughout the United States
when he served as President Grover Cleveland's Secretary of Agriculture,
but his most important legacy is Arbor Day; and
WHEREAS, Julius Morton felt that Nebraska's landscape and economy
would benefit from the wide-scale planting of trees; he set an example
himself planting orchards, shade trees and wind breaks on his own farm
and he urged his neighbors to follow suit; and
WHEREAS, Julius Morton's real opportunity arrived when he became a
member of Nebraska's state board of agriculture; he proposed that a
special day be set aside dedicated to tree planting and increasing
awareness of the importance of trees; and
WHEREAS, Nebraska's first Arbor Day was an amazing success; more than
one million trees were planted; a second Arbor Day took place in 1884,
and the young state made it an annual legal holiday in 1885, using April
22nd to coincide with Julius Morton's birthday; and
WHEREAS, In the years following that first Arbor Day, Julius Morton's
idea spread beyond Nebraska with Kansas, Tennessee, Minnesota and Ohio
all proclaiming their own Arbor Days; today all 50 states celebrate
Arbor Day although the dates may vary in keeping with the local climate;
and
WHEREAS, At the federal level, in 1970, President Richard Nixon
proclaimed the last Friday in April as National Arbor Day; and
WHEREAS, Arbor Day is also now celebrated in other countries including
Australia; variations are celebrated, including: "Greening Week" of
Japan, "The New Year's Days of Trees" in Israel, "The Tree-Loving Week"
of Korea, "The Reforestation Week" of Yugoslavia, "The Students'
Afforestation Day" of Iceland and "The National Festival of Tree Plant-
ing" in India; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is now moved to commemorate the obser-
vance of Arbor Day and to acknowledge the efforts of citizens who plant
and care for trees and woodlands in their neighborhoods; now, therefore,
be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor David A. Paterson to proclaim Friday, April 24,
2009, as Arbor Day in the State of New York; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to The Honorable David A. Paterson, Governor of the State of New
York.