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A monthly publication about conservation in Missouri. Started in 1938, the printed magazine is free to residents of Missouri.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Conservation Commission observed Arbor Days in Missouri by planting a tree at Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) headquarters in Jefferson City on Thursday, April 5. Missouri Arbor Day is celebrated on the first Friday of April and National Arbor Day is celebrated on the last Friday of the month.
Commissioners Don Bedell, Marilynn Bradford, and David Murphy were joined by MDC Director Sara Parker Pauley and MDC State Forester Lisa Allen in planting a flowering dogwood (cornus florida) -- Missouri’s official state tree. The flowering dogwood is a small, spring-flowering tree that is a favorite for landscaping. It grows naturally in Missouri along wooded slopes, bluffs, upland ridges and old fields. Historically the dogwood has been used to make inks and medicine, and the wood has been used for golf club heads and even skewers for cooking. Learn more from MDC’s online Field Guide at nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/flowering-dogwood.
“Trees and forests make our communities better places to live, work, and recreate,” said Commission Chair Bedell. “The Conservation Commission encourages everyone to celebrate Arbor Days in Missouri by planting native trees and taking care of the trees we have.”
Trees work for Missouri by producing oxygen, cleaning water, and delivering benefits that shape people’s daily lives. Missourians can take advantage of all the ways trees work by selecting native trees to plant and practicing proper tree care. Learn more at treeswork.org.
Get information from MDC on backyard tree care, types of trees for urban and other landscapes, selecting the right tree for the right place, planting tips, watering and pruning info, and more from the Department’s website at mdc.mo.gov/tree-health.
DID YOU KNOW? Missouri forests cover about one-third of the state and provide outdoor recreation, wildlife habitat, natural beauty, and watersheds for stream and rivers. Missouri forests also provide employment for more than 44,000 people who convert trees into essential products. Get more information at mdc.mo.gov/forest.
