National Arbor Day

When it comes to celebrating National Arbor Day, there’s something for everyone. Check out a few of the ideas below and be sure to give your favorite tree a hug!

Tree Planters and Huggers

• View the tree planting photo gallery highlighting Yale Alumni, staff, and their loved ones.
• The Yale community helps plant trees to recognize Yale staff celebrating milestone anniversaries on or around May 7, for Yale Alumni Day of Service.

Trail Blazers

• Check out photos of staff enjoying the Nature Walk on Friday, April 29.
• Take a self-guided nature walk on campus to explore and learn more about trees. Here are a few of our favorite routes:
  • Staff Service Recognition milestone tree trail
  • Yale Nature Walk
• For a weekend adventure, consider heading further afield to explore CT Blue Blaze Hiking Trails or Yale Forests.

Zen Masters

• Ever wonder why you might feel so “chill” after a walk in the woods? Florence Williams, author of The Nature Fix, unpacks the science behind nature’s positive effects on the brain. For the highlights, listen to her TED talk, Making Spaces of Awe and Restoration. For more detail, watch her talk at the Yale Center for Business and the Environment.
• Experience those positive effects for yourself. Start your day with a free early-morning walking and standing meditation practice amongst the trees and flowers at Marsh Botanical Gardens with Danielle Casioppo. Register.

Lifelong Learners

• How Trees Talk to Each Other with Dr. Suzanne Simard provided the fodder for Yale Forest Forum’s recent talk: On Trees: A Conversation with Peter Wohlleben, Jessica J. Lee, and Sumana Roy. We were captivated and highly recommend listening to both.
• Be a citizen scientist: use the free app, iNaturalist, to report your sightings. To identify native trees and other plants, visit Go Botany Simple Key. Check out the Beyond Your Backdoor blog by Yale Peabody naturalist Jim Sirch to learn more.

Storytellers and Family-Fun Makers

• Is there soft spot in your heart for a special tree perhaps from your childhood or one that’s in your yard or neighborhood? Staff, faculty, students, and alumni were invited to post a brief story about a tree with deep meaning to them in their life. Read their stories.
• Looking for a little family fun? Find a forest or park near you and create a digital family storybook to capture your memories. It’s quick, easy, and fun!

Managers and Engagement Teams

• Break out the fun at your next staff meeting with a few rounds of Tree Trivia! This plug-and-play virtual game is ready for you to use on Kahoot! Sign-up for a time slot to “check out” the resource. Instructions for hosting and participating will be provided when you sign-up. Consider giving out a few tree-themed prizes such as a tree-painting class or the illustrated version of The Hidden Life of Trees.
• Download the new collection of Chat Stickers and share the new “Rootin’ for ya” sticker to cheer on your colleagues.