Attention Young Artists:
Each year California kicks off Arbor Week with a poster contest. California Arbor Week is an annual celebration of trees that takes place March 7 to 14. Across the state, communities honor trees. You can participate too by thinking about the importance of trees and creatively sharing your love and knowledge of them in a piece of art. Any California youth age 5-12 can submit a poster.
Theme
This year’s theme is Trees Bring Us Together.After months of distance learning and being separated from others, being outside has never felt so good. How many of you spent time outside with others, at a park or in your yard? Think about whether there was a tree there and how it made the area shady and cool. Does your school or town have a special tree, where people like to hang out? Is there a place you like to go that needs a tree? Have you ever planted or taken care of a tree and then watched it grow over the years? Who helped you plant it? What about all the critters that live and hang out in trees? Have you ever picked a fresh peach, apple, or other fruit, right out of a tree?
If you really think about it, places with trees are great places for people to come together. They have a way of making places cooler and inviting – no matter what you like to do or who you are. Even scientists have found through research that towns with trees are more popular places to live than ones without.Think about ways that trees make places for you to gather with friends or how certain places in your community are more ‘friendly’ because of the trees – and make that into a poster!
About
Entries are due Feb 14, 2022. A committee will review all submitted posters and select the statewide finalists. Each winner will receive a cash prize ranging from $25 to $100 as well as a printed copy of their poster. The top winning posters are unveiled at the Arbor Week press conference and will then be on the California ReLeaf and California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) websites and shared via social media channels.
Resources for Grown-ups to share with kids:
- For fun, tree-oriented science activities to do with kids, visit https://arborweek.org/for-educators/
- For more information about the benefits of trees, visit https://caufc.org/why-urban-forests/