Observances in different countries
Algeria
The national tree planting day of Algeria is on October 27.
Australia
July 28 is National Tree Planting Day for schools throughout Australia and
30 July is National Tree Planting Day for the rest of the Nation. Many states
have Arbor Day although only Victoria has Arbor Week,which was suggested by
the late Premier Dick Hamer in the 80s. Arbor Day has been observed in Australia
since 20 June 1889.
Belgium
International Day of Treeplanting is celebrated in Flanders on or around 21
March as a theme-day/educational-day/observance, not as public holidays. Tree
planting is sometimes combined with awareness campaigns of the fight against
cancer: Kom Op Tegen Kanker.
Brazil
The Arbor Day (Dia da Árvore) is celebrated on September 21.
Cambodia
National Tree Planting Day is on June 1.
Central African Republic
National Tree Planting Day is on July 22.
China
Republic of China (Taiwan): Arbor Day has been a traditional
holiday in the Republic of China since 1927. In 1914, the founder of the agricultural
college at Nanking University suggested to the now-defunct Ministry of Agriculture
and Forestry that China should imitate the practice in the United States of
Arbor Day. The holiday would be held the same day as the Qingming Festival.
However, for unknown reasons, the suggestion was not made through the formal
process, so nothing came from this original request. After the successful conclusion
of the Northern Expedition, the now-defunct Ministry of Agriculture and Minerals
formally petitioned the Executive Yuan to establish Arbor Day to commemorate
the passing of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the Father of Modern China. He had been a major
advocate of afforestation in his life, because it would increase people's livelihoods.
The Executive Yuan approved Arbor Day in the spirit of Dr. Sun that year and
has since been celebrated on March 12 for this purpose.
People's Republic of China (Mainland China): In 1981, the
fourth session of the Fifth National People's Congress of the People's Republic
of China adopted the "Resolution on the unfolding of a nationwide voluntary
tree-planting campaign". This resolution established Arbor Day (???) and
stipulated that every able-bodied citizen between the ages of 11 and 60 should
plant three to five trees per year or do the equivalent amount of work in seedling,
cultivation, tree tending or other services. Supporting documentation instructs
all units to report population statistics to the local afforestation committees
as the basis for workload allocation. Moreover, those failing to do their duty
are expected to make up planting requirements, provide funds equivalent to the
value of labor required or pay heavy fines. Therefore, the tree-planting campaign
is actually compulsory, or at least obligatory (that is, an obligation to the
community). The "voluntary" in the title referred to the fact that
the tree-planters would "volunteer" their labor. The People's Republic
of China also celebrates Arbor Day on March 12.
Egypt
Tree planting day, arbor day, is on January 15.
Germany
Arbor Day is on April 25. First celebration was in 1952.
Iran
National Tree Planting Day is on March 5.
Israel
Israel celebrates Tu Bishvat, the new year for trees, on the fifteenth day
of the month of Shevat, which usually falls in January or February. Originally
based on the date used to calculate the age of fruit trees for tithing as mandated
in Leviticus 19:23-25, the holiday now is most often observed by planting trees,
or raising money to plant trees.
Japan
Japan celebrates a similarly themed Greenery Day, held on April 29th. Although
it has a similar theme to Arbor Day, its roots lay in celebration of the birthday
of Emperor Hirohito.
Kenya
National Tree Planting Day is on April 21. Often people plant palm trees and
coconut trees along the Pacific Coast that borders the East coast of Kenya.
Lesotho
National Tree Planting Day is on March 21.
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia celebrated Tree Day on March 12, 2008. It was declared an official
non-working day, and over 2 million trees were planted. The holiday was declared
in honor of reforestation following the devastating Macedonian wildfires of
Summer 2007.
Malawi
National Tree Planting Day is on the 2nd Monday of December.
México
National Tree Day is on the 2nd Thursday of July.
Namibia
Its first Arbor Day was celebrated on 2004-10-08.
Netherlands
Since conference and of the Food and Agriculture Organization's publication
World Festival of Trees, and a resolution of the United Nations in 1954: "The
Conference, recognising the need of arousing mass consciousness of the aesthetic,
physical and economic value of trees, recommends a World Festival of Trees to
be celebrated annually in each member country on a date suited to local conditions";
it has been adopted by the Netherlands. In 1957 the National Committee Day of
Planting Trees/Foundation of National Festival of Trees (Nationale Boomplantdag/Nationale
Boomfeestdag) was created.
On or around 21 March (the first day of Spring) or sometimes on or around 21
September (the first day of Autumn), threequarters of city school-children and
others plant trees.
In 2007 the 50th anniversary will be celebrated with special golden jubilee-activities.
New Zealand
New Zealand's first Arbor Day planting was in Greytown in the Wairarapa on
3 July 1890. The first official celebration took place in Wellington in August
1892, with the planting of pohutukawa and Norfolk pines along Thorndon Esplanade.
Born in 1855, Dr Leonard Cockayne (generally recognised as the greatest botanist
who has lived, worked, and died in New Zealand) worked extensively on native
plants throughout New Zealand and wrote many notable botanical texts. Even as
early as the 1920s he held a vision for school students of New Zealand to be
involved in planting native trees and plants in their school grounds. This vision
bore fruit and schools in New Zealand have long planted native trees on Arbor
Day.
Since 1977 New Zealand has celebrated Arbor Day on June 5, which is also World
Environment Day, prior to then Arbor Day, in New Zealand, was celebrated on
August 4 - which is rather late in the year for tree planting in New Zealand
hence the date change.
What the Department of Conservation (DOC) does for Arbor Day: Many of DOC’s
Arbor Day activities focus on ecological restoration projects using native plants
to restore habitats that have been damaged or destroyed by humans or invasive
pests and weeds. There are great restoration projects underway around New Zealand
and many organisations including community groups, landowners, conservation
organisations, iwi, volunteers, schools, local businesses, nurseries and councils
are involved in them. These projects are part of a vision to protect and restore
the indigenous biodiversity.
Niger
Since 1975, Niger has celebrated Arbor Day as part of its Indepedence Day:
3 August. On this day, aiding the fight against desertification, each Nigerien
plants a tree.
Philippines
Arbor Day in the Philippines has been institutionalized to be observed every
June 25 throughout the nation by planting trees and ornamental plants and other
forms of relevant activities. The necessity to promote a healthier ecosystem
for the people through the rehabilitation and regreening of the environment
was stressed in Proclamation No. 643 that amended Proclamation No. 396 of June
2, 2003. Proclamation No. 396 enjoined the "active participation of all
government agencies, including government-owned and controlled corporations,
private sector, schools, civil society groups and the citizenry in tree planting
activity and declaring June 25, 2003 as Philippines Arbor Day."
Portugal
Arbor Day is celebrated on March 21. It's not a national holiday but instead
schools nationwide celebrate this day with environment-related activities, namely
tree planting.
South Africa
Arbor Day was celebrated from 1983 until 1999 in South Africa, when the national
government extended it to National Arbor Week, which lasts from 1-7 September.
Two trees, one common and one rare, are highlighted to increase public awareness
of indigenous trees, while various "greening" activities are undertaken
by schools, businesses and other organizations.
South Korea
Arbor Day (Sikmogil, ???) was a public holiday in South Korea on April 5 until
2005. The day is still celebrated, though. On non-leap years, the day coincides
with Hansik.
Sri Lanka
National Tree Planting Day is on October 15.
Tanzania
National Tree Planting Day is on January 1.
Uganda
National Tree Planting Day is on March 24.
United States
The national holiday is celebrated every year on the last Friday in April;
it is a civic holiday in Nebraska and was founded by Julius Sterling Morton.
Each state celebrates its own state holiday. The customary observance is to
plant a tree. On the first Arbor Day, April 10, 1872, an estimated one million
trees were planted.
Venezuela
Venezuela recognizes "Día del Arbol" on the last Sunday of
May.
