There was a time, historians say, when a squirrel could begin on the East Coast of the United States and swing from tree to tree until he reached the West Coast.
Today he'd be lucky to get out of Maine.
That was many years before America had Arbor Day — before Americans needed an Arbor Day.
In Utah — and most states — Arbor Day is the last Friday in April, though Wyoming celebrates in May, Florida in January and Hawaii in November. The National Arbor Day Foundation encourages states to pick an ideal date for getting out and actually planting trees.
Like many holidays, the day began as a regional celebration, then eventually put down roots and branched out. The first Arbor Day was in Nebraska in 1872. Today many countries have caught the spirit of the day and set it aside. The day exists to educate people about trees and then put them to work .
Over the years the day has produced a ream of interesting facts and anecdotes.
Trees, for example, have been around for 280 million years. The ancient Norsemen believed the earth was cradled in a giant ash tree. The contrary Celts insisted the tree was really an oak. Among Native Americans, juniper bark was used for medicine, fragrances and even baby diapers.
Trees provide oxygen, of course. And — lucky for newspapers — they also provide paper.
In Utah, 35 communities are on the national list of Tree Cities — towns dedicated to preserving trees. Springville and Murray have been on the list for more than 25 years. The Jardine Juniper in Logan Canyon is a national "trophy tree." It is 5,000 years old.
This year Utah school kids are involved in poster competitions and poetry contests. The Arbor Day Foundation also suggests honoring the day by raising the flag, recycling paper and taking time to identify and preserve the historic trees in your community.
The watchword for many people in today's world is "quality of life," and trees always have lent an air of serenity and well-being to any neighborhood. As the Japanese poet Ryokan once mused, trees are so noble they even provide shade to the very woodsmen who chop them down.
As American holidays go, Arbor Day is not big. But its heart is in the right place.
We encourage citizens to take it seriously and spend a little time with the trees.