Arbour Day celebrates the importance of our trees
and green spaces. It is an annual event held in Canada, the United States
and in many other countries that all share a common vision of greener
communities. 
Arbour Day in Calgary is celebrated on the first
Thursday in May. On this day, each grade 1 student in Calgary's schools
receives a tree seedling to be taken home to be planted on private property. To
date, annual Arbour Day celebrations in Calgary have distributed an estimated
425,000 tree seedlings to grade one students. The seedlings are provided
by Alberta Sustainable Resource Development.
How to plant an
Arbour Day tree:
- Plant your Arbour Day tree in your garden
right away. Please provide assistance to children who might be planting.
- Give your tree enough room to grow. Lodgepole
Pines can grow to be 30 metres tall.
- Plant your tree at least four metres away from other trees, shrubs
or buildings.
- Don’t plant your tree under power lines.
- Keep your tree cool and moist. Handle your tree gently, since the
roots break easily.
When you plant your tree, remember:
1. Remove the plastic bag.
2. Spread the roots in the hole and cover them
quickly.
3. Press the soil firmly around the roots and water
the tree.
4. Please
protect the tree with a small fence while it is still small.
5. Please take care of your tree by giving watering
regularly when the soil is dry. Remember, not too much, you don’t want to drown
your tree.
