WHEREAS, in 1872, J. Sterling Morton proposed that a special day be set aside for the planting of trees; and

        WHEREAS, Arbor Day was first observed with the planting of more than a million trees; and

        WHEREAS, Arbor Day is observed throughout the nation and the world; and

        WHEREAS, trees can reduce the erosion of top soil, clean the air, produce oxygen, cut heating and cooling costs, moderate the temperature and provide habitat for wildlife; and

        WHEREAS, trees are a renewable resource giving us paper, wood for our homes, fuel for our fires and countless other wood products; and

        WHEREAS, millions of seedlings are hand planted in Idaho's forests annually in addition to the millions of naturally occurring plants; and

        WHEREAS, trees, wherever they are planted, are a source of joy and spiritual renewal;

        NOW, THEREFORE, I C. L. "BUTCH" OTTER, Governor of the State of Idaho, do hereby proclaim April 27, 2007 to be

ARBOR DAY

in Idaho, and I urge all citizens to celebrate this day in observance of the important role that trees play in our daily lives.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of the State of Idaho at Boise, Idaho, on this 27^th day of April in the year of our Lord two-thousand and seven and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred thirty-first and of the Statehood of Idaho the one hundred seventeenth.       

BEN YSURSA
SECRETARY OF STATE