Arbor Day – A call to action

Arbor Day is April 30, an observance that began in 1872 when the Nebraska State Board of Agriculture adopted a resolution creating a day set aside to plant trees. The holiday spread throughout the United States and is observed in many countries around the world. California’s observance is March 7, and coincides with the birthday of botanist Luther Burbank.

Today, many communities organize tree-planting and litter-collecting events to coincide with the holiday. But whichever day we observe, it’s a call to action.

In California, the Legislature first proclaimed California Arbor Day on March 7, 1...