Published September 22 2025
Wondering how to “think globally, act locally?” Celebrate Arbor Day by planting trees and other native plants on Saturday, Oct. 18, 8:45 a.m.-11 a.m., at Lewis Creek Park. Community members can register now to participate in the event.
Volunteers will plant native trees such as Sitka spruce, Douglas fir and western red cedar to restore habitat at the park, 5808 Lakemont Blvd. SE.. Community members may also remove noxious weeds that quickly degrade healthy forests.
While Arbor Day was technically on April 25, states and cities will often recognize the day whenever the weather is best regionally for planting trees. In 2022, Bellevue switched from celebrating Arbor Day and Earth Day together in April to marking Arbor Day with tree planting events in the fall.
In 1872, Arbor Day started when Julius Morton, a member of Nebraska’s State Board of Agriculture, proposed a day to plant and appreciate trees.
One of the goals of the city’s Sustainable Bellevue plan is to preserve and expand Bellevue’s tree canopy. The city has handed out hundreds of free trees each year. In 2024, the City Council adopted new tree code to update tree preservation and protection provisions.
Bellevue’s nearly 1.5 million trees provide health, environmental and economic benefits. Trees contribute to Bellevue’s character and to the health of its ecosystem. They also oxygenate the air, provide food and habitat for small animals and microorganisms, and reduce the impacts of stormwater runoff. Shade from trees also cools the city.
More information about the city’s tree preservation and environmental stewardship efforts can be found at Environmental Stewardship.