Ohio Outdoors: April advocates for Earth

April is Earth Month and it is all about appreciating the nature and wildlife on our planet. Of course we are all familiar with Earth Day, an international celebration of environmental awareness held on April 22. The first Earth Day was organized in 1970 and brought about significant policy changes for a cleaner and healthier planet. Since then, it has become a global movement. Nearly 200 countries around the world recognize Earth Day. More than a billion people across the globe come together on this day each year to promote healthy stewardship of the planet with an emphasis on education.

Hot on the heels of Earth Day, we celebrate Arbor Day (April 24). This holiday celebrates trees and all their benefits. It began with a tree planting ceremony in Nebraska in April of 1872, although the idea is not exclusively American. The first ever documented tree planting festival was held in Spain in 1594. A more modern approach to Arbor Day began in Spain in 1905 while China adopted a similar custom in 1915.