SANDPOINT — On the first Arbor Day, in 1872, it is estimated that more than a million trees were planted.

Today, that tradition continues as Arbor Day is celebrated across the United States, as well as in other countries.

Students at Selle Valley Carden school learned all about Arbor Day last Friday as they planted four blue spruce seedlings provided by the Idaho Forest Products Commission.

Stacey Rief, a teacher at SVCS, said showing the children how to properly plant a tree is important, but most of all, she said it is about giving back.

“We all take for granted the trees that surround us, and a lot of times these children don’t understand that if we are going to continue to take them, in the logging process even, you are always allowing for the regeneration of trees,” Rief said.

As they were given four trees to plant, the 23 kids, ranging from preschool through fifth-grade, split into four groups and a leader was chosen for each group based on those who had planted a tree before. Several of the students did have some experience, though it was difficult for some of them to break through the grass layer with the shovel. Nevertheless, the four trees were planted along the fenceline.

After getting the enough dirt over each of the seedlings, the kids decided to name each one. After much discussion between group members, Arbor, Aspen, Timber and Arby were the final names of the blue spruce trees that will someday stand tall over the school.

Mike Boeck, district one commissioner for the Idaho Forest Products Commission, said each year the commission hosts a statewide Arbor Day celebration. A large event is held in Boise, with smaller community events throughout the state, such as the one at SVCS. All the Home Depot stores and Mountain West Bank branches throughout the state gave away blue spruce seedlings for Arbor Day. It is the commission’s mission to “provide programs that result in an informed public that understands and supports balanced, responsible management of Idaho’s economically vital public and private forests.”

The commission also hosts a statewide student photo contest for Arbor Day. This year’s winner was from Mountain View High School in Meridian, but it is open to all Idaho students grades fifth-12th.

The commission provided the seedlings to SVCS, and Boeck also brought four T-shirts with this year’s Arbor Day theme, “There’s nothing like Idaho forests.” The students were given the chance to win the T-shirts by answering questions from their lesson about the roots of Arbor Day, such as the year it began and how many trees were planted on the first Arbor Day.

Rief said tree planting is something they enjoy doing at the school and were honored to participate in the Arbor Day event. Foresters come out each year and show the students how to properly plant trees, and they planted several fruit trees in the orchard located on the campus, she said. The school is also active in the Idaho State Forestry Contest, with a winning team in 2017, and is gearing up for the upcoming event this month.

Mary Malone can be reached by email at mmalone@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.