FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Holden Arboretum & Cleveland Botanical Garden Celebrate our National Tree Planting Holiday

On Arbor Day Enjoy Free Admission & a Tree Seedling Giveaway

April 6, 2023 (CLEVELAND) – Get ready to show your love of trees in honor of this year’s Arbor Day on Friday, April 28, 2023. The Cleveland Botanical Garden and the Holden Arboretum celebrate the planting and care of trees every day of the year, but especially during the month of April when spring is in the air. Make this the year you join us in celebration of planting trees.  

Arbor Day Photos 2023  

Arbor Day 2023 festivities:  

ENJOY FREE ADMISSION – Holden Forests & Gardens will offer free admission to the Cleveland Botanical Garden and the Holden Arboretum on Arbor Day, Friday, April 28th. Bring family, friends, or just yourself to enjoy a day immersed in nature at either campus. The Cleveland Botanical Garden will be open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and the Holden Arboretum will be open from 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. Admission tickets are not required.  

GIVE A NEW TREE A HOME – FREE SEEDLING GIVEAWAY at the Cleveland Botanical Garden between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and at the Holden Arboretum between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. or while supplies last at each campus. The tree seedlings that will be distributed are Scarlet oak (Quercus coccinea). Once you receive your free seedling, be sure to pledge our People for Trees campaign to plant and care for 15,000 new trees in Northeast Ohio by 2025.  

DONATE TO ARBOR DAY OF GIVING – Holden Forests & Gardens has designated Arbor Day as one of our most important fundraising days of the year. Our goal is to raise $85,000 for Arbor Day of Giving 2023 in support of our work in science, conservation, community forestry, horticulture, and education. To help us along, Holden Forests & Gardens Board Member, Roy Minoff, has offered to match up to $25,000! We also have an anonymous donor who is matching $5,000. By supporting Arbor Day of Giving, you are doubling the impact of your donation. Give online today, and it will count towards Holden Forests & Gardens Arbor Day of Giving on April 28^th. Click here for more information: Arbor Day of Giving Website   

LEARN TO PLANT A TREE – Planting a tree is a gift to future generations, but where do you start? Join us at the Holden Arboretum on Thursday, April 27^th from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. to learn the basics of tree planting. This class will cover when to plant trees in our region, and how to care for newly planted trees. We’ll walk to the Helen S. Layer Rhododendron Garden for some hands-on experience planting a dawn redwood on Holden Arboretum grounds. Registration Link Here   

VISIT A JESSE OWENS OLYMPIC OAK – Holden Forests & Gardens will assist with the planting of two Olympic oak trees that were grafted from the original trees Jesse Owens received for bringing home gold medals during the 1936 Olympic Games. The first planting will be on April 28^th at League Park in Cleveland in partnership with the City of Cleveland. The second planting will be on May 5^th at East Tech High School in partnership with Cleveland Metropolitan School District.  

PLEDGE PEOPLE FOR TREES™  

Holden Forests & Gardens is entering year three of our People for Trees campaign to have 15,000 trees planted in Northeast Ohio by 2025. Already, more than 10,000 trees have been pledged, and planted and given away. But we still need more People for Trees to pledge and plant. Share your love of nature and invite a friend, neighbor, and family member to join us. Pledge at holdenfg.org/people-for-trees  

WHY ARE TREES SUCH A BIG DEAL?  

Did you know that trees provide numerous benefits to improve the health and well-being of entire neighborhoods? These are just some of the ways that trees are essential for homes, businesses, and communities: 

• Trees improve public health by providing oxygen, filtering the air, and reducing stress, which has been linked to reductions in asthma and heart disease. 
• Trees calm traffic and cool sidewalks and streets, making neighborhoods safer and more walkable. 
• Trees increase business traffic and home values. 
• Trees remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, helping to combat climate change. 
• Trees save energy on heating and cooling. 
• Trees filter and retain stormwater and prevent soil erosion, which keeps our rivers and Lake Erie cleaner. 
• Trees provide a habitat for birds and pollinators. 

About Holden Forests & Gardens 
Holden Forests & Gardens is made up of two of Northeast Ohio’s most important environmental and cultural institutions — the Holden Arboretum and Cleveland Botanical Garden — whose mission is to connect people with the wonder, beauty, and value of trees and plants, to inspire action for healthy communities.  One of the largest public gardens in the country, Holden Forests & Gardens has nearly 20,000 member households and an annual attendance of more than 300,000 for whom we strive to provide inspirational and educational visitor experiences. For more information, visit holdenfg.org.   

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