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Part of Forests

Alberta Forest Week

Alberta Forest Week is celebrated each year during the first full week in May.

Alberta Forest Week is May 3 to 9, 2026

About Forest Week and Arbour Day

Alberta has a long-standing tradition of Forest Week and Arbour Day celebrations. The spirit of Arbour Day instils the values of conservation and stewardship as well as the environmental benefits of our trees and forests. Alberta Forest Week is celebrated each year during the first full week in May.

Arbour Day originated in Nebraska in 1872 to encourage the planting of trees to enhance the landscape, provide wind breaks and shade. Several other American states and Canadian provinces also began to celebrate Arbour Day and it has continued to grow ever since. As varying climates across the continent favour tree planting at different times, Arbour Day dates vary, in Canada it typically occurs during the first 2 weeks in May.

Grade one seedling program

For more than 60 years, each year the Alberta government has delivered hundreds of thousands of tree seedlings to grade one students throughout the province during Alberta Forest Week. This long-standing program teaches the value of trees and their contribution to the Alberta way of life.

Resources

Fact sheet: Alberta's grade one seedling program: How to care for your new seedling.

Activity ideas

Alberta Forest Week and Arbour Day are times to celebrate our connection to trees, woodlands and forests. Even a lone tree on a boulevard can be celebrated for its beauty and contribution to keeping our air clean and our cities green.

If you are visiting the forest, remember that most wildfires are caused by human activity. Always be aware of how your actions could affect the forest. Check fire bans to see if any restrictions are in place in Alberta’s forested areas.

Forest Week activity ideas;

  • Alberta Forest Week Activity Sheet
  • The Bertie Beaver Activity Book
  • Plant a tree with your family or community group, see which greening initiatives are offered in your area.
  • Take some pictures on a hike and consider the following;
    • how trees sprout, grow, die and decay
    • what birds, animals, insects and plants live in or on them at each stage
    • tree features like suckers, seeds, pollen or cones
    • identify female and male trees
    • growth patterns does it grow straight, wide, droopy or round
    • fallen trees, notice the changes, moss bract or shelf fungus may affect the life and usage of the tree
  • Use the Visit Guide to the Common Native Trees and Shrubs of Alberta to identify trees and shrubs.
  • Learn about tree cookies (cross-sections) with Science World to see the tree's life. The Royal Alberta Museum also explains how tree cookies teach us about climate.
  • Adopt a tree in your local park or yard and keep track of how it grows over the years. Have your child sketch the tree each year in different seasons.
  • Make a collage of dried leaf rubbings in different colors. Remember not to take too many leaves from the same branch – the trees need them too!
  • If your child aged 16 to 18, has a passion for forestry consider the Junior Forest Rangers program. 

Forest Week educational activities

Forest Week is a great excuse to get outdoors and walk among trees and forests. Enjoy the environment that trees create, and get to know some of the local trees in your neighbourhood.

Here are some ideas that might inspire action in your learning environment: