On hot, sunny days, our instinct is to find shade. When outdoors, the best, and often first, place we look for a cool spot is under a tree. Trees provide more than just shade, however. In fact, Arbor Day - the tree planting holiday - was proposed by J. Sterling Morgan and enacted in Nebraska in 1872 primarily for agricultural purposes - and his personal love for trees.

As pioneers made their way into Nebraska, they noticed how sparse the pastures were. Though the soil was fit for farming, pioneers understood they would need to plant trees to help keep it in place.  Additionally, pioneers used wood to build and fuel their homes.

Today, we continue to appreciate the different types of trees planted and available to be planted. The purpose of Arbor Day is to encourage communities to plant trees with the understanding that they will thrive - providing us with clean air, shade, natural beauty, and resources for wildlife.

In the electric utility industry, trees are an important factor in reliable power. Often, trees grow where power lines and poles exist, and are kept pruned to ensure branches do not fall on lines, causing outages. Tri-County Electric Cooperative is proactive with vegetation services, ensuring lines are clear of branches for faster restoration, safety for our linemen, and improved power reliability. Always request a tree trim from Tri-County Electric Co-op, and never attempt to trim on your own if power lines are nearby. Our vegetation management is a complimentary benefit to you, our member-owners. 

Learn more about Arbor Day.