OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — OPPD spent the day helping 1,300 elementary students learn about the importance of trees and pollinators at Lauritzen Gardens today, giving local kids the chance to celebrate Arbor Day a little early.
Students got to plant a redbud tree at Lauritzen Gardens and learn what it takes for a tree to grow. OPPD says it is a fun event for the kids to get a firsthand experience of planting a tree here in Nebraska where Arbor Day was created..\
The tree they planted blooms in the springtime.
"A redbud tree —which is a native tree — it grows throughout the Midwest. It's an understory tree that grows 20 to 30 feet tall,” said Mike Norris, an OPPD Utility Forester. “It's an early bloomer, so right now in fact here in the parking lot at Lauritzen Gardens, you'll see a number of redbuds that have the pretty purple flowers."
OPPD says it was proud to be part of the arbor day event again this year.
The celebration marks the return of the Nebraska-born holiday after taking a break due to the pandemic.
Officials also taught the kids how to make seed balls with wildflower seeds, which create habitat for butterflies and bees.
Arbor Day takes place this Friday.
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