Arbor Day celebrated at Cooper Elementary
Third-graders at Cooper Elementary went home last week with a free tree and lots of information about Arbor Day. The presentation was made by the Bella Vista Garden Club, but the trees were provided by the Arkansas Forestry Commission.
First, they heard from Mayor Peter Christie, who gave them an assignment. Christie said he’s working on getting a “Tree City” designation for Bella Vista but, in order to be a Tree City, someone has to plant some trees. The third graders seemed happy to oblige.
In 1989, Christie and his family planted 2,000 trees, he told the students. Several years later, they found that 1,600 had survived. Now those trees are large and healthy. He assured his audience they would have the same experience.
“When you plant a tree, it’s not just for your own enjoyment,” he said, “You’re sending a message to the rest of the world.”
Forest Ranger Scott Van Hook from the Arkansas Forestry Commission in Benton County helped Christie with some history of fruit trees in Arkansas. Before blight killed apple trees in Benton County, the region was a huge producer of apples.
Arbor Day is celebrated the third Monday in March, Penny Frahn of the Bella Vista Garden Club said. Cooper students were on spring break that day, so the celebration was a little late, she said. The students didn’t seem to mind.
Marion Heath, also a member of the Garden Club, went over the products that come from trees — everything from paper to chewing gum. The world’s tallest tree, the largest tree and the oldest tree are all in California, she said. The oldest tree in the world is 4,845 years old.
Each of the students left with a tiny loblolly pine tree and instructions on how to plant it. Loblolly pine seeds survived a trip to the moon in one of the space shuttles, Heath said, so she believes the tiny trees will prosper under the care of the thirdgraders.