Senate Resolution No. 1849

BY: Senator PARKER

COMMEMORATING the 150th Anniversary of Arbor Day
to be celebrated on April 29, 2022

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
commemorate the 150th Anniversary of Arbor Day to be celebrated on April
29, 2022; and

WHEREAS, Arbor Day was founded by journalist, politician and
tree-enthusiast Julius Sterling Morton to improve his home state of
Nebraska's farming prospects and grow the agricultural landscape by
planting trees and raising awareness of their many benefits; and

WHEREAS, The first Arbor Day was held on April 10, 1872, and brought
together thousands of people who planted more than one million trees in
pursuit of Julius Sterling Morton's goal; in addition to the reward of
helping the environment, those who planted the most trees received
prizes for their accomplishments; and

WHEREAS, Today, every state in our Nation and more than 30 countries
across the globe celebrate the holiday of Arbor Day, whether it is a
single-day event or an entire week dedicated to the planting of trees
while emphasizing caring for them as a way to sustainably protect our
planet's natural resources; and

WHEREAS, Trees are essential for life; they give us clean water to
drink; air to breathe; shade and food to humans, animals and plants; and
provide habitats for numerous species of fauna and flora, firewood for
cooking and heat, materials for buildings and places of spiritual,
cultural and recreational importance; and

WHEREAS, Trees also play a vital role in the infrastructure of a
city; unfortunately, many of these urban settings in general do not have
enough trees necessary to provide their many benefits to its residents;
and

WHEREAS, Trees provide canopy and shade which helps to cool a city
down; when there are not enough of them, an urban heat island is
created, resulting in a dangerous rise in temperature; on average, urban
heat islands are 5 to 7 degrees warmer during the day, and can increase
temperatures by as much as 22 degrees at night; and

WHEREAS, A urban heat island (UHI) effect occurs when pavement
absorbs and stores solar radiation, leading to a further increase in the
surface temperatures; heat absorbed by the black asphalt pavements is
then released into the surrounding environment leading to pavement
rutting and UHI effect; and

WHEREAS, Sustained high temperatures also negatively affect health
quality indicators of residents in areas lacking trees, meaning those
with afflictions such as asthma, hypertension, and diabetes are more
susceptible to experience poorer health in these conditions; and

WHEREAS, It is equally important to acknowledge the mental health
aspect of not having enough trees; trees encourage people to go outside,
be active and interact with their environment and those in it; these are
important factors which can lend themselves to closeness among
neighbors, increased activity among children and more positive mental
health practices; and

WHEREAS, In the spirit of fostering a deeper understanding of trees
and gaining first-hand experience as to their benefits, projects such as
the Department of Environmental Conservation's School Seedling Program
which provides free seeds and shrubs to all educational institutions in
New York State are encouraged; and

WHEREAS, In addition, organizations are encouraged to apply for the
Arbor Day Foundation's Environmental Equity Grant, which awards $100,000
to entities working to combat environmental inequalities; and

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is now moved to commemorate the 150th
Anniversary of Arbor Day and to acknowledge the tireless efforts of
citizens and organizations which celebrate the spirit of this holiday
through their acts of service and to support them as they continue to do
so; and

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
pay tribute to those institutions and individuals who dedicate their
purposeful time and energy to generating an increased appreciation for
trees, including the acts of conserving, planting and maintaining them,
as well as educating and fostering a higher degree of public awareness
surrounding their benefits and all the good they do in the State of New
York; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 150th Anniversary of Arbor Day on April 29, 2022; and be
it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the Arbor Day Foundation.