On Friday, April 26, we celebrate Arbor Day. “While most holidays celebrate something that has already happened and is worth remembering, Arbor Day represents a hope for the future. The simple act of planting a tree represents a belief that the tree will grow to provide us with clean air and water, cooling shade, habitat for wildlife, healthier communities, and endless natural beauty — all for a better tomorrow,” Arbor Day Foundation shares on their website. At the Trustees, we invite you to celebrate trees and our natural landscapes all weekend long. 

CraneOutdoors at the Crane Estate in Ipswich will offer an Arbor Day Sunset Hike on Friday afternoon. Join this after-work hike to enjoy a beautiful sunset and to celebrate all things arboreal. On a guided hike through the Castle Hill grounds, woodland trails, and pine grove, participants will learn all about the natural and non-native/introduced trees living at The Crane Estate. 

Dive deeper into nature and join our veteran wildflower guides for a Guided Wildflower Walk on the Ledges Trail at Bartholomew’s Cobble. Learn all about the different flowers that are blooming, the insects that pollinate them and what makes them so unique. Looking for a different kind of experience in midst of the trees and spectacle of the Cobble? Join New Marlborough artist and NEGSI member, Nanci Worthington as she guides you through nature journaling sessions. Nanci will teach you how to observe nature and your surroundings and capture what you see, hear and feel on paper. 

Other places offering programs where you can take in stunning Trustees trees and spring spectacles include a free guided walk with local historian Jane Cairns at the Ward Reservation in Andover, Celebrate Spring at Stevens Coolidge House & Gardens in North Andover, and the Daffodil and Tulip Festival at Naumkeag in Stockbridge.