INDIANAPOLIS—It’s Arbor Day on Friday, and if you’re anything like TheStatehouseFile.com staff, you probably don’t quite know what that means. It’s OK, we’re here to help.

Not to toot our own journalism horn, but Arbor Day was officially started by a former Nebraska newspaper editor, J. Sterling Morton. Morton was a major fan of trees and wanted a day to celebrate planting as many trees as possible back in 1872.

During Nebraska’s first Arbor Day, scheduled for April 10, the state offered prizes for the individuals who planted the most trees.

According to the Arbor Day Foundation, it is estimated that over one million trees were planted during that first celebration.

In 1885, Arbor Day planted its roots in the calendar on April 22, which also celebrated Morton’s birthday, but it is now celebrated nationally on the last Friday of April.

Free tree facts

• According to a fact sheet from the Indiana government, each $1 invested in Indianapolis trees yields over $5 in benefits.

• There are an estimated 3.04 billion trees across the world.

• The Indiana state tree is the tulip tree.

• As stated by the Urban Forestry Network, a single large tree can produce the same cooling effect as 10 room-sized air conditioners.

Statehouse connection

Because of Senate Bill 690, passed in 1973, every year every senator and representative receives 100 tree seedlings from the Indiana Nursery program to use to inform their citizens about the importance and benefits of trees.

To participate in this tradition, Rep. Maureen Bauer, D-South Bend, and other state legislators are coordinating seedling giveaway events for their constituents.

“This program is important, as it helps add to the beautification of residential landscapes and natural spaces,” Bauer told The Statehouse File. “Each year, I make sure to select native tree species in consultation with a local expert. Native trees in urban areas like South Bend help lower the temperature by providing more shade, provide natural habitats for wildlife, and help absorb rainwater, which is becoming increasingly important as we face more frequent and heavy rains.”

If interested in getting a tree from Bauer, you can go to Kennedy Park in South Bend 9:30-11:30 a.m. Saturday.