Welcome to “Arbor Month!” Gov. Jay Inslee  has officially proclaimed April 14th as Arbor Day in Washington State, and National Arbor Day is on Friday, April 30 this year.

No matter how you plan to celebrate this year, we are excited to share this day with you — a day and month dedicated to trees.

To kick-off the spirit of Arbor Day, and to give you some talking points to use while celebrating trees, we’re sharing 5 fun facts for Washington’s Arbor Day.

1. Washington’s tallest tree: a 302 ft Douglas fir

Some of the tallest trees are found in Washington state and the very tallest Douglas fir in the world lives in our great state. Located in the Quinault Research Natural Area in the Olympic Peninsula, this Douglas fir is reported to be 302 feet tall, and has a 40 feet 10 inches circumference /13 foot diameter.

2. Urban tree plantings in the past year: 37,507 trees

Washington’s 93 Tree City USA communities reported planting a total of 37,507 trees in the last year. Even amidst a global pandemic, shovels were digging and soil was moving in an effort to keep greening up our urban areas. Thank you, Tree Cities.

3. Sadly, Washington’s oldest apple tree, at 194 years old, passed away this past year

But it’s legacy lives on. With the help of the Old Apple Tree Research Team, the City of Vancouver had been planning for the day to come by nurturing several of the root suckers, which are now small trees growing around the Old Apple Tree. What a beautiful way to honor and cherish this tree and it’s history. To read more on the tree, click here.

4. Washington’s urban forests are diverse

Washington’s urban forests are home to over 200 different tree species and varieties. Virtually discover the street and park trees in your city. Check if your community has an online tree inventory that you can explore from home. Below are some examples of communities with online-based tree inventories (extra tip: these are extremely valuable tools for developing your tree ID skills!):

5. Washington is home to 24 arboretums

Visiting an arboretum near you is a terrific way to celebrate trees during Arbor Month. Check out the complete list, here.  Many arboretums have created self-guided tours or virtual experiences so campuses and communities can continue to enjoy the trees. Some arboretums may even be open to the public now, with appropriate social distancing.

Please continue to celebrate Arbor Day safely, both at home and throughout your community this month. Below are a couple ways to stay involved and engaged with the DNR Urban and Community Forestry Program throughout the month:

  • On Wednesday April 14, tune in to our Facebook as we release a video to celebrate Arbor Day Statewide.
  • Throughout the month, visit our Facebook page where we are sharing posts for our “This Week In Bloom” Arbor Month feature. Once a week we’ll be teaching you about the blooms you may be seeing throughout your neighborhood. This year, we are focusing on mostly native species.

Happy Arbor Day, Washington!

Plan ahead – Upcoming Arbor Day Dates:

2022 – WA State Arbor Day: Wed, April 13 / National Arbor Day: Fri, April 29

2023 – WA State Arbor Day: Wed, April 12 / National Arbor Day: Fri, April 28

2024 – WA State Arbor Day: Wed, April 10 / National Arbor Day: Fri, April 26