Local fourth graders dig into hands-on Arbor Day lesson

HARTINGTON — A shovel, a sapling and a lesson rooted in Nebraska history turned an ordinary school day into something that could last a lifetime as local fourth graders stepped outside the classroom to celebrate Arbor Day.

Observed on the last Friday in April, Arbor Day has deep ties to Nebraska, and Hartington continues to mark the occasion in a hands-on way. Fourth-grade students from both local schools joined members of the Hartington Tree Board last Friday to learn about the value of trees — and then put that knowledge to work by planting one of their own.

Tree Board members Dan Kathol, Ben Beckman and Esther Larsen hosted the annual event, working with a total of 46 students between the two schools. The day combined history, discussion and practical experience, giving students a chance to see — and feel — how trees take root in a community.

Beckman opened the program with a look back at Arbor Day’s origins, tracing it to Julius Sterling Morton, a Nebraska newspaperman who championed tree planting in the largely treeless plains of the 1870s. Morton proposed the idea in 1872, and the first celebration led to the planting of an estimated one million trees across the state. From those beginnings, Arbor Day spread nationwide and eventually around the world.

Students then turned their attention to why trees matter today. With a little prompting from Larsen, they quickly rattled off benefits — producing oxygen, providing shade, supplying building materials and food and improving the look and feel of a town.

The highlight came when talk turned into action. Guided by Kathol, students helped plant 10-foot Fall Fiesta Sugar Maple trees at each location. Hartington-Newcastle students placed their tree on school grounds, while Holy Trinity students planted theirs on the church property. Both plantings replaced trees that had previously been removed. With holes already prepared, each student took a turn filling in soil, packing it down, adding mulch and watering the young trees. The trees were later staked to help them stand straight until their root systems take hold. “This is an event I look forward to each year,” Kathol said. “The kids get true hands-on exposure, and hopefully it sparks an interest in trees that lasts a lifetime.” Before heading back inside, each student received a Black Hills Spruce seedling to plant at home, courtesy of the Lewis & Clark Natural Resources District. NRD representative Reed Trenhaile distributed the seedlings and reviewed proper planting and care. The annual event is part of a broader commitment to trees in the community. Hartington is marking its 35th year as a Tree City USA, a designation from the Arbor Day Foundation that recognizes communities dedicated to planting and maintaining trees. For one spring morning, though, that larger mission came down to something simple — a group of students, a patch of ground and a reminder that even the smallest trees can grow into something much bigger.