Arbor Day Tree Giveaway

The Louisiana Forestry Association is celebrating Arbor Day by giving away 1,000 seedlings on Thursday, Jan. 16. Trees given away this year will be the American Elm, Silky Dogwood and two species of oak: Black Oak and Water Oak.

 Folks can drive through the parking area of the LFA office at 2316 S. MacArthur Drive in Alexandria beginning at 7:30 a.m. and will give away 1,000 trees.

 “A good way to look at planting hope for the future in the New Year is planting a tree,” said. C.A. “Buck” Vandersteen, executive director of the Louisiana Forestry Association. “And this is the best time of year to plant trees in Louisiana. That’s why we celebrate Arbor Day each January.”

 More than 15 million acres of forests are spread across Louisiana, about half of the state. Products from the forest account for about $11 billion to the state’s economy each year — it’s Louisiana’s No. 1 crop! And just like field crops, trees are replanted after being harvested, about 73 million seedlings throughout the state. That’s roughly 19 trees for every person living in Louisiana. 

 The drive-through tree giveaway is limited to the supply of 1,000 trees, provided by ArborGen SuperTree Nursery. So, once they’re gone, they’re gone. 

 The American Elm is fast-growing and hardy and grows to about 70-100 feet. Its early budding makes for early spring color. The Silky Dogwood has pale blue berries that birds love in late summer. It’s a small tree-like shrub that grows up to 12 feet and has a rounded appearance. It is tolerant to dry conditions but prefers moist, well-drained soil. The Black Oak can grow up to 90 feet, but is slow-growing. Its acorns are good for most wildlife and offers great shade for large areas. The Water Oak also can grow up to 90 feet and is a great tree choice for shade. Its acorns also are good for most wildlife.

Arbor Day began in Nebraska in 1872 and is celebrated nationwide as an annual tree-planting day to foster the ideals of conservation so that our forests will always be plentiful. 

 The Louisiana Forestry Association has offered Arbor Day seedlings for the public since 2004 as a way of celebrating Arbor Day, the third Friday in January in Louisiana, and promoting the benefits of trees.

The Louisiana Forestry Association is a group of more than 4,000 members that includes forest landowners, foresters, loggers and others employed in the forest products industry. LFA’s mission is to further the practice of sustainable forestry.