Posts Tagged ‘tree conservation’
Planting hope for the future: Julius Sterling Morton and the birth of Arbor Day
This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. April 22, 1832 Dearest reader, On this day, we remember Julius Sterling Morton, whose passion for trees birthed a movement that would grow worldwide—Arbor Day. Moving west from Detroit to Nebraska in 1867,…
Read MoreThe Man Who Planted America’s Trees: Julius Sterling Morton and Arbor Day
The Father of Arbor Day April 22, 1832 Today is the birthday of a Nebraska newspaper editor, Secretary of Agriculture, and father of Arbor Day, Julius Sterling Morton. In 1867, after moving west to Nebraska from Detroit, J. Sterling and his wife Caroline were shocked by the treeless landscape. Together, they conceived of a day…
Read MoreChristine Johanna Buisman: The Pioneer Who Helped Unravel Dutch Elm Disease
Dutch Elm Disease March 22, 1900 Today is the birthday of the Dutch Phytopathologist Christine Johanna Buisman. Christine worked on the all-female-team of scientists tackling Dutch Elm Disease and led by the great botanist Johanna Westerdijk. Christine is remembered for her dedication to the topic, and she was the first scientist from the group to…
Read MoreOregon’s Giant Sitka Spruce: A 700-Year-Old Living Legend Saved
The 700-Year-Old Christmas Tree December 18, 1958 On this day, the Statesman Journal out of Salem, Oregon, reported on a 700-year-old Tree Saved From Axemen. “[In Seaside, Oregon], a giant 700-year-old Christmas tree has been added to a five-acre tree farm park dedicated to the public. The Sitka Spruce, 195 feet tall and 15 feet, 9…
Read MoreRobert Earl Bickelhaupt: Celebrating the Legacy Behind lowa’s Bickelhaupt Arboretum
The Bickelhaupt Arboretum Today is the birthday of the cofounder of the Bickelhaupt Arboretum, Robert Earl Bickelhaupt. Robert and his wife Frances created the Arboretum around their family home in Clinton, Iowa. During the 1960s and 1970s, Robert and Frances watched as Dutch Elm disease claimed the beautiful Elm-lined streets in Clinton. In response, Robert…
Read MoreHarold Hillier and the Legacy of Britain’s Champion Trees
Hillier Arboretum January 8, 1985 Today is the anniversary of the death of conservationist and plantsman Harold Hillier. In 1864, Hilliard’s grandfather Edwin began the family Nursery. His son was supposed to take over the family business, but he died during the war, and so it fell to Edwin’s grandson Harald to continue his legacy.…
Read MoreMarianne Moore and the Camperdown Elm: A Poet’s Plea That Saved a Tree
The Friends of Prospect Park Today is the birthday of the poet, Dodgers baseball fan, and founding member of the Friends of Prospect Park, Marianne Moore, who was born on this day in 1885. Moore was an eccentric intellectual who had a range of interests outside of poetry. In 1967, when she was 80 years…
Read MoreJohn Evelyn: English Gardener, Writer, and Early Environmentalist
The Detailed Diary of John Evelyn Today is the birthday of the English Gardner and writer John Evelyn who was born on this day in 1620. Evelyn kept a detailed diary for 66 years, and he had an excellent understanding of trees. In 1664, Evelyn wrote a treaty called A Discourse of Forest Trees. It was…
Read MoreJoy Morton: Founder of Morton Salt and The Morton Arboretum
A Lover of Trees Today is the birthday of Joy Morton, who was born on this day in 1855. Morton’s father was J. Sterling Morton, the founder of Arbor Day and a former secretary of agriculture under President Cleveland. Not surprisingly, Joy’s love of trees was instilled in him at a young age. Raised on a farm…
Read MoreSequoia National Park: Guardians of Ancient Arboreal Legacy
This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. September 25, 2024 On this day, in the year of our Lord 1890, a momentous occasion unfolded in the annals of horticultural history. The Sequoia National Park, a verdant sanctuary for those arboreal…
Read MoreA City Cloaked in Leaves: Rochester’s Verdant Vision
This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. May 7, 1888 On this day, dear garden enthusiasts, a momentous occasion unfolded in the fair city of Rochester, New York. The Rochester Parks Commission, a group of visionaries with an eye for…
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