As autumn settles across the Lone Star State, communities are preparing to celebrate Texas Arbor Day, a tradition rooted in history and dedicated to the enduring value of trees. From shade and oxygen to lumber, food, and medicine, trees have long provided for humanity’s most essential needs. They shape our landscapes, shelter wildlife, and offer quiet places for reflection and connection.

Throughout history, trees have held a special place in human culture. Tree festivals date back centuries, with some historians pointing to 5th-century Swiss or Spanish communities as the originators of public tree planting celebrations. The sentiment behind these gatherings is timeless, captured in the Greek proverb: “A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.”

🌱 Arbor Day Roots in the U.S. and Texas

In the United States, Arbor Day began in 1872 when J. Sterling Morton of Nebraska proposed a statewide tree planting holiday. That year, Nebraskans planted an estimated one million trees. By 1883, the American Forestry Association enlisted Birdsey Northrop of Connecticut to promote Arbor Day globally. Today, the holiday is observed in all 50 states and more than 40 countries.

Texas embraced Arbor Day in 1889, when W. Goodrich Jones rallied citizens in Temple for the state’s first celebration. The following year, Austin hosted the first statewide event. Originally held in February, Texas Arbor Day was later moved to the first Friday in November, aligning with the state’s unique climate and planting conditions.

While northern states favor spring planting, Texas’ long, hot seasons and unpredictable weather make fall the ideal time to establish trees. Cooler temperatures and increased soil moisture help young trees take root before the next summer arrives.

🌿 Local Celebration in Lampasas

This year, the City of Lampasas invites residents to join in the celebration on November 8th from 10 AM to 12 PM at the Historic Hostess House, located at 1406 U.S. Hwy 281 South. The event will feature a tree planting ceremony, and families will receive free trees to take home and plant—continuing a legacy of stewardship and community pride.

As Theodore Roosevelt once said, “To exist as a nation, to prosper as a state, to live as a people, we must have trees.” Texas Arbor Day is more than a celebration—it’s a reminder of our shared responsibility to nurture the natural world for generations to come.