Bill Text: NY J03313 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim April 24, 2020, as Arbor Day in the State of New York

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2020-12-28 - ADOPTED [J03313 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-J03313-Introduced.html

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Senate Resolution No. 3313

BY: Senator KAPLAN

        MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim
        April  24,  2020,  as  Arbor Day in the State of New
        York

  WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative  Body  to  support  and
promote the historic and significant observance of Arbor Day in New York
State; and

  WHEREAS,  Attendant  to  such  concern,  and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this  Legislative  Body  is  justly  proud  to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim Friday, April 24, 2020,
as  Arbor  Day  in  the  State  of  New  York,  in  conjunction with the
observance of National Arbor Day; and

  WHEREAS, Passed by virtue of the New York State Legislature, May  3,
1888,  became  the first Arbor Day in the great Empire State; today, New
York State celebrates Arbor Day annually on the last  Friday  in  April;
and

  WHEREAS,  The  first  Arbor  Day  took  place  on April 10, 1872, in
Nebraska; it was the brainchild of Julius Sterling Morton (1832-1902), a
Nebraska journalist and politician originally from Michigan;  throughout
his  long  and  productive  career,  Julius  Morton  worked  to  improve
agricultural techniques in his adopted state and throughout  the  United
States  when  he  served  as  President  Grover Cleveland's Secretary of
Agriculture, but his most important legacy is Arbor Day; and

  WHEREAS, Julius Morton felt that Nebraska's  landscape  and  economy
would  benefit  from the wide-scale planting of trees; he set an example
himself planting orchards, shade trees and wind breaks on his  own  farm
and he urged his neighbors to follow suit; and

  WHEREAS,  Julius  Morton's real opportunity arrived when he became a
member of Nebraska's state board of  agriculture;  he  proposed  that  a
special  day  be  set  aside  dedicated  to tree planting and increasing
awareness of the importance of trees; and

  WHEREAS, Nebraska's first Arbor Day was  an  amazing  success;  more
than  one  million  trees were planted; a second Arbor Day took place in
1884, and the young state made it an annual legal holiday in 1885, using
April 22nd to coincide with Julius Morton's birthday; and

  WHEREAS, In  the  years  following  that  first  Arbor  Day,  Julius
Morton's  idea  spread beyond Nebraska with Kansas, Tennessee, Minnesota
and Ohio, all proclaiming their own Arbor Days;  today,  all  50  states
celebrate  Arbor  Day  although  the  dates may vary in keeping with the
local climate; and

  WHEREAS, At the federal level,  in  1970,  President  Richard  Nixon
proclaimed the last Friday in April as National Arbor Day; and

  WHEREAS,  Arbor  Day  is  also  now  celebrated  in  other countries
including Australia; variations  are  celebrated,  including:  "Greening

Week"  of  Japan,  "The  New  Year's  Days  of  Trees"  in  Israel, "The
Tree-Loving Week" of Korea, "The Reforestation Week" of Yugoslavia, "The
Students' Afforestation Day" of Iceland and "The  National  Festival  of
Tree Planting" in India; and

  WHEREAS,  Superstorm Sandy wreaked havoc on our region, cut power to
millions of homes  and  businesses  from  the  Carolinas  to  Ohio,  and
disrupted the presidential campaign; and

  WHEREAS,  This  vicious storm also ravaged trees and greenery around
homes and neighborhoods; the long term damage is just  beginning  to  be
seen  now; while seemingly intact, many trees are shocked and brown from
the lashing by hurricane-force and salt laden winds,  while  others  may
not even survive; and

  WHEREAS, The trees and shrubs on Long Island help reduce storm water
runoff,  prevent  soil  erosion, provide habitat and shade, beautify the
landscape and protect our bays and harbors; and

  WHEREAS, Thousands upon thousands of trees were lost on Long Island;
this year, April 22, 2020, which is designated as Earth Day in the State
of New York, along with Arbor Day, April 24,  2020,  marks  the  perfect
time for all citizens to plant a tree to replace one that was lost; and

  WHEREAS, In addition to restoring our landscape there is an economic
benefit  to  having  a host of healthy trees in our region: in 50 years,
one tree recycles more than $37,000 worth  of  water,  provides  $31,000
worth  of  erosion  control, $62,000 worth of air pollution control, and
produces $37,000 worth of oxygen; and well placed trees help cut  energy
costs  and  consumption  by decreasing air conditioning costs 10-50% and
reducing heating costs as much as 4-22%; and

  WHEREAS, Furthermore, trees increase property values by 5 to 20% due
to their landscaping value; trees are good noise barriers, making cities
and neighborhoods quieter places to live; trees enhance  the  aesthetics
of  our  environment;  trees  help  prevent  city  flooding  by catching
raindrops and offsetting runoff caused by buildings  and  parking  lots;
and  trees  provide  privacy, highlight views or screen them, and reduce
glare; and

  WHEREAS, According to a Chinese proverb: "One generation plants  the
trees under whose shade future generations rest"; and

  WHEREAS,  This  Legislative  Body  is  now  moved to commemorate the
observance of Arbor Day and to acknowledge the efforts of  citizens  who
plant  and  care  for  trees  and woodlands in their neighborhoods; now,
therefore, be it

  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim Friday, April 24, 2020,
as Arbor Day in the State of New York; and be it further

  RESOLVED,  That  a  copy  of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the  State  of
New York.