By Terry ‘Foots’ Quinn

For The Daily News

Arbor Day in Louisiana is Friday, Jan. 20.

Bogalusa will celebrate Arbor Day on Saturday, Jan. 21, in beautiful Cassidy Park.

The program will begin at 1 p.m. on the Heritage Stage.

An arborist will be on hand, and life gospel and secular music will be played during the event.

Everyone is encouraged to come picnic, barbeque and enjoy nature.

Our city has outdone itself by planting more than 100 new trees in Cassidy Park. New magnolias, poplar, ash and weeping willow are in place.

A new feature is the fruit orchards. Fig to plum, blackberry to pear and more will allow visitors to the park to pick fruit as they walk.

In addition, the spring blossoms will add more beauty to our park.

It is truly a fitting way to celebrate the day started by J. Sterling Morton in 1872.

All of the Virgin Longleaf Yellow Pines from the Carolinas to East Texas were cut down in the early 20th century.

Entrepreneurs from the Northwest chose Bogalusa as the site to build the largest sawmill in the world, which consumed so many of these beautiful and valuable trees.

But right here in Washington Parish, men with a vision for the future planted new Pines, creating the largest hand planted forest in the world.

Free soft drinks and chips will be available along with material from the Crosby Arboretum in Picayune, Miss.

Terry “Foots” Quinn is a Bogalusa resident. He has previously installed signs below the trees in Cassidy Park, with each sign offering facts and information about each tree variety.