It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown is the 15th prime-time animated television special based on Charles M. Schulz's comic strip Peanuts.

This is the first special to feature the character Rerun van Pelt (younger brother to Linus and Lucy), who had debuted in the Peanuts comic strip in March 1973.

[2] The musical score features the final compositions and recorded performances of jazz pianist and composer Vince Guaraldi, whose contributions to Peanuts include the theme "Linus and Lucy".

After seeing Schroeder reluctantly cover his eyes and pucker his lips while randomly turning his head, Lucy refuses to kiss him.

Like the other Peanuts specials of the era, It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown was directed by Phil Roman, and produced by Bill Melendez.

It is unknown why Duncan Watson and Melanie Kohn were replaced, as they would return for Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown (1977), which also featured Scott Beach as a radio broadcaster.

[4] Guaraldi recorded most of the music score in January 1976 at Wally Heider Studios, working as a trio with bassist Seward McCain and drummer Jim Zimmerman.

The special's main theme — a gentle waltz that incorporates elements of "Christmas Time Is Here" — is heard repeatedly throughout, going by several different titles as they pertain to a specific scene.

[5][6] Mick Martin and Marsha Porter of the Video Movie Guide gave the special 3 1/2 out of 5 stars and solemnly declared the composer Vince Guaraldi will be missed as "his last bow in the series".

[7] Martin and Porter have favored Guaraldi‘s composition as they described his jazz music a highlight for the series since in A Charlie Brown Christmas.