Story: Public holidays

Arbor Day

Arbor Day

This 1950s poster promoting Arbor Day was produced by the New Zealand Forest Service. Arbor Day was never a general public holiday in New Zealand, but between 1892 and 1914 government departments, service organisations and schools observed it, usually in July or August, taking a day off to plant trees – mostly exotic species. Arbor Day was revived in 1934. From 1977 it was celebrated on 5 June, and the emphasis was on planting New Zealand native trees.

Courtesy of Ministry for Primary Industries

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: Eph-C-FOREST-SERVICE-1950s-01

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page:

Nancy Swarbrick, 'Public holidays - Celebrating imperial ties', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/ephemera/32471/arbor-day (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Nancy Swarbrick, published 20 Jun 2012, reviewed & revised 19 Apr 2023