We LOVE trees and we know lots of you do as well.  Trees are crucial to the survival of our planet.  They remove CO2 and pollutants therefore reducing the “heat island effect”.  They also preserve soil by decreasing storm water run-off, and provide shade and shelter for many animals.  

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The first Arbor Day took place in Nebraska on April 10, 1872.  J. Sterling Morton was secretary of the Nebraska Territory and a huge advocate for trees.  He proposed a tree holiday to encourage citizens and civic groups to plant them.  Prizes were awarded to individuals and counties for properly planting the most trees.  Over 1 million trees were planted on that first Arbor Day in Nebraska. Robert W. Furnas was the Nebraska Governor that officially proclaimed Arbor Day on April 10, 1874.  Arbor Day became a legal Nebraska state holiday in 1885, when it was decided that it would be observed annually on April 22. 

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Arbor Day was celebrated in more than 45 states and territories by 1920.  Today all 50 states acknowledge the critical role trees play in our survival by recognizing the event.  Many states observe the holiday on the last Friday in April, but that date may vary depending on the best time to plant trees.  That is why Florida Arbor Day takes place on the third Friday in January.  Next year it will be January 20, 2024. 

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Keep Pasco Beautiful is celebrating Arbor Day a bit different this year.  There are 10 mango trees that we will be giving away through a virtual contest that will start on January 13.  To enter take a picture with a tree and upload the image to Facebook or Instagram using the hashtag #FortheLoveofTrees.  Please submit only one entry per household so we can share the mango tree love.  At 5 pm on January 20th we will randomly select 10 winners.  Trees will be delivered the following week.  You must reside in Pasco County to qualify for this contest.  While we love all of our tree huggers, we are only delivering within Pasco County to limit our carbon footprint.  We encouraged you to plant trees wherever you are!

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