AgAmerica celebrates the wonder of trees this Arbor Day by once again supporting an important Arbor Day Foundation undertaking: the reforestation of native habitats.

National Arbor Day is April 28^th, and it’s a day to celebrate the importance of trees. Arbor Day is implemented by the Arbor Day Foundation, and it has been celebrated since the late 1800s. See how AgAmerica marks the day by supporting the efforts of the Arbor Day Foundation, and how you can help too.

AgAmerica’s Continuing Donation

For the second year in a row, AgAmerica is proud to assist in the Arbor Day Foundation’s vision of the reforestation of land to its natural state. We’ve donated to help the tree planting of 2,000 slash pines in the Myakka State Forest as part of the area’s reforestation projects.

Slash pines are hardy yellow pines native to the southeastern U.S., and they are also known as southern pine, swamp pine, pitch pine, and more. Long used as a timber tree, slash pines are also commonly used in reforestation projects in the Southeast. They offer habitat and food for a variety of wildlife, including wild turkey, white-tailed deer, and squirrels.

In 2016, AgAmerica donated 2,000 longleaf pine trees to the Etoniah Creek State Forest in northeast Florida. This year, 2017, we’re continuing our support of the Arbor Day Foundation and donating 2,000 slash pine trees in the Myakka State Forest, located in West Central Florida, south of Sarasota. The Myakka State Forest is an ecologically diverse area, offering vegetative communities of both mesic flatwoods and depression marshes. Slash pines grow in a variety of soils and can tolerate moist areas, making them a good choice for Myakka’s reforestation efforts.

The Myakka State Forest is home to numerous plants and animals, including many on the threatened species list: the gopher tortoise, Eastern indigo snake, Florida Sandhill crane, and wood stork. There are also many bald eagles that call the Myakka State Forest home. Furthermore, the Myakka River, which flows through the northeastern portion of the park, is designated both as an Outstanding Florida Water and an impaired water. In short, the Myakka River is both an important waterway and a polluted one. Reforestation efforts are an important piece of the puzzle for the restoration the ecosystem of the area.

Support the Arbor Day Foundation

Trees are an important part of our lives, whether you work directly with them or not. They provide food, energy, heat, and the raw materials for everything from the largest buildings to the smallest pencils. They impact the environment by protecting soil from erosion, reducing pollution, and renewing the Earth’s oxygen. Find options below to make an impact this Arbor Day:

• Plant a tree.
• Choose a public park or downtown area to clean up.
• Schedule classes on tree pruning, tree selection, tree identification and tree planting.
• Volunteer with a local tree-planting organization.
• Give away free trees for others to plant. You can buy trees from organizations like The Arbor Day Foundation or find a donor, such as a local nursery, that can also instruct on tree planting and caring for trees.

Sterling Morton, the founder of Arbor Day said, “Each generation takes the earth as trustees. We ought to bequeath to posterity as many forests and orchards as we have exhausted and consumed.” We at AgAmerica are proud to do our parts.