The Florida Forest Service will be celebrating Florida Arbor Day with a Tree ID Quiz Bowl on Saturday January 15 at the Bear Creek Educational Forest located at 8125 Pat Thomas Parkway, in
Quincy.
The event will be held from 9 a.m. to noon, during which time participants will have a chance to identify as many different tree species as possible along the one-mile “Talking Trees” Loop Trail.
Those attending will be provided a free tree identification guide that can be used during the Quiz Bowl, as well as a forest-themed wall calendar; 10-gallon potted trees will be awarded to first, second, and third place winners.
Florida Arbor Day is a time to recognize and celebrate the benefits that trees provide to our state’s economy, ecosystems and communities.
Pioneered by J. Sterling Morton in Nebraska, the idea of Arbor Day began in 1872.
The movement spread rapidly over the next decade and schools nationwide began observing Arbor Day.
While Arbor Day is celebrated nationally in April, many states recognize a separate, state Arbor Day to coincide with the local tree planting season.
Florida Arbor Day is observed on the third Friday of January.
“We are looking forward to hosting an interactive celebration of Florida’s forest diversity by challenging community members to learn new trees that they can teach to friends and family on their next walk in the woods,” says Gadsden County Forester Jordan Warmke-Robitaille. “This event will be a fun opportunity to test your knowledge about the trees around you and to take home a beautiful new tree to plant.”
For further questions regarding the event contact Bear Creek Educational Forester Brooks White at Brooks.white@fdacs.gov
Gadsden County Forester Jordan Warmke-Robitaille can be contacted at Jordan.Warmke-Robitaille@fdacs.gov
