NICEVILLE, Fla. — In celebration of Florida’s Arbor Day, free tree seedlings will be given away on Friday, January 23, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Lannie L. Corbin Municipal Complex in Niceville, located at 100-A Partin Drive, Niceville, Florida.
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The event begins at 9 a.m. with educational booths and activities available throughout the event, followed by the 11 a.m. tree giveaway. Sponsors and participating agencies include the University of Florida Extension Office, Master Gardener Volunteers, local beekeepers, the Florida Forest Service, and the City of Niceville.
A kids’ craft table and an Ask-the-Expert station will also be offered.
Arbor Day started in Nebraska on April 10, 1872, as a tree-planting day. Each state recognizes Arbor Day based on the best planting time for trees. Florida’s Arbor Day is the third Friday in January. In Florida, planting trees now allows young trees to become established before hot spring weather arrives. National Arbor Day is celebrated on the fourth Friday of April.
Trees and wooded areas provide economic, social, and environmental benefits. A few of these benefits are mentioned below.
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In Florida, properly placed trees around buildings can result in 40% less cooling energy than a treeless site. Shade is only part of the reason this is true. As trees release water through their leaves (transpiration), air around the plant is cooled as much as nine degrees Fahrenheit. This can result in money saved on cooling your home during Florida’s hot summers.
Deciduous trees have a cooling effect during summer when they are full of leaves but allow the warming effect of the sun to shine through during winter because their leaves are gone.
Research has shown that a walk in a wooded area can relieve psychological and emotional stress. Medical studies reveal that patients recover faster in facilities surrounded by trees and in rooms offering views of wooded areas.
The USDA Forest Service reports that a healthy tree holds about thirteen pounds of carbon annually. This reduces the level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. According to studies by the USDA, wooded areas reduce runoff by five to 35%. This reduces flooding and erosion and acts as a filter to improve water quality.
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Come celebrate Florida Arbor Day at the Lannie L. Corbin Municipal Complex in Niceville on Friday, January 23, beginning at 9 a.m., and get a free tree.
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For more information on trees for North Florida, visit this UF/IFAS Extension website http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/TOPIC_Trees or contact the UF/IFAS Extension Office or the Florida Forest Service in your area.
Larry Williams is the Extension Horticulture Agent with the Okaloosa County Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida. You can contact Larry at 689-5850 or email lwilliams@myokaloosa.com.
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