NY J03313

Requests Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim Friday, April 24, 2020, as Arbor Day in New York State, coinciding with the national observance

Notes New York has celebrated Arbor Day annually on the last Friday in April since 1888, following the tradition started by Julius Sterling Morton in Nebraska in 1872

Highlights the environmental and economic benefits of trees, including water recycling ($37,000 value over 50 years), erosion control ($31,000), air pollution control ($62,000), oxygen production ($37,000), energy savings of 10-50% for cooling and 4-22% for heating, and increased property values of 5-20%

Emphasizes the need for tree restoration on Long Island following Superstorm Sandy, which damaged thousands of trees, and encourages citizens to plant replacement trees coinciding with Earth Day on April 22, 2020