Kalispell and Whitefish are hosting Arbor Day celebrations on April 25. 

The Kalispell event will be at Lawrence Park. The theme “Plant a Cool Future” will guide the day’s activities, including environmental education booths, park beautification, tree planting and an Arbor Day ceremony. Third-graders from Kalispell Public Schools will participate in activities including tree planting.

The event begins at 9 a.m. and concludes at 2:30 p.m.

Throughout the day, volunteers will plant 30 trees in various parks, while organizations such as Flathead Audubon Society, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, and Flathead High School wood classes and many more will be on hand to help students learn about the importance of trees through science experiments and demonstrations.

Kalispell has been recognized by the Arbor Day Foundation as a Tree City USA for more than 30 years, meaning the city has a dedicated tree board and/or department, an ordinance for tree care, a community forestry program that financially invests in its trees and an Arbor Day proclamation and day of observance. Commonly observed the last Friday in April, Arbor Day provides an opportunity to plant trees and celebrate their importance in our cities and communities for their practical value as well as their contribution to our health and well-being.

Kalispell’s Arbor Day celebration is presented by the Kalispell Urban Forestry Committee.

In Whitefish, the city's Parks and Recreation Department is holding a tree planting to mark Arbor Day. The event takes place on April 25 at 10 a.m. at City Beach. 

Members of the Tree Advisory Committee will be volunteering to help plant the trees. Whitefish was awarded a $850 Arbor Day Grant from the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation to help purchase trees for the Arbor Day celebration.  

Trees provide shade and lower air temperature, filter the air and provide oxygen, improve mental and physical health for the people who live near them. Studies have shown that people of all ages feel better when they spend time among trees.

The idea for Arbor Day originated in Nebraska in 1872, and is now widely celebrated in all 50 states as well as internationally.