Trees are an important part of the solution to many of our world’s problems — from cleaning water to preserving wildlife habitat to regulating a warming climate. But forests are disappearing around the globe. Reforestation is one of the simplest and most critical things we can do to safeguard our changing planet.
Help us plant a better future.
Home to 1.6 billion people and 80% of all plant and animal species, our world’s forests are the cornerstone of life itself.
They provide us with countless benefits — some of which you might not even realize.
Forests help improve water quality in streams, rivers, and lakes, as well as filter pollutants out of the air.
Trees are one of our greatest weapons in the fight against climate change. In the United States, national forests alone absorb more than 50 million metric tons of carbon each year.
Forests increase rainfall, prevent drought, and cool the overall temperature of the planet.
Animal species of all kinds rely on forests for food, shelter, and water.
Fruit and nut trees are an important food source for millions of people across the globe.
From camping to fishing to hiking, forests provide us with opportunities to connect with nature and one another.
The world has lost an estimated 1 billion acres of forest since 1990. This staggering rate can be attributed to a number of factors:
Human activity is one of the greatest contributors to forest loss. Around the globe, trees are cut down for agriculture, cattle ranching, development, and logging. Deforestation has had the most significant impact in tropical rain forests, which are at risk of disappearing completely in 100 years.
Diseases like sudden oak death, spruce decline, and white pine blister can cause significant decline in previously healthy forests.
Infestations by insects like the mountain pine beetle have reached epidemic levels in select forests, killing hundreds of thousands of trees and making the area more susceptible to fire.
Wildfires are a natural part of many ecosystems, helping promote vegetation growth by clearing away dead material. However, with climate change creating hotter and drier conditions, these fires are growing in intensity.
Increasingly severe weather like hurricanes, ice storms, high winds, and drought can wreak havoc on forests.
Together with our network of planting partners, we’ve made great strides in global reforestation since our founding more than 50 years ago. We’re proud to have planted hundreds of millions of trees in forests across geographies, soil types, climates, and countries — and we’re just getting started. Join us as we plant another 500 million trees by 2027.
Trees Planted Since 1972
Countries Impacted
Active Projects
Is your organization doing great work in forests? Learn about our planting partner network.
The Amazon Rain Forest is one of the most diverse, important areas on Earth. Spanning nine countries and 3.4 million square miles, it produces more than 20% of the world's oxygen, plays a vital role in carbon sequestration, and is home to thousands of rare plant and animal species.
Despite its importance, the Amazon is disappearing at a rapid rate. Scientists have estimated that the area could become a grassland savannah in just 50 years.To aid in this crisis, the Arbor Day Foundation is planting nearly half a million trees in the rain forest in Brazil. This will provide long-term food security and income alternatives for thousands of indigenous people while helping save a precious natural resource.
Look past the skyscrapers and sprawling metropolis of Los Angeles, California, and you’ll see the beginnings of Angeles National Forest. This 700,000-acre area is home to rare tree species like the big cone Douglasfir and serves as an important source of water for the city’s nearly 4 million residents.
Unfortunately, Angeles National Forest has experienced several large wildfires in the past several years. 2020 was a record-setting fire season, with more than 150,000 acres — or 23% of the forest — left charred and in need of replanting. The Arbor Day Foundation is teaming up with the U.S. Forest Service to restore and protect this important area. 37,000 big cone Douglasfir and ponderosa pine seedlings were planted in 2021. Reintroducing these native trees will provide critical habitat to black-tailed deer, black bears, and small animals.
The eastern edge of Queensland, Australia is known for its stunning views and exotic wildlife. The region is home to the Gold Coast, the Great Barrier Reef, and endangered species like turtles, wallabies, kangaroos, wombats, and koalas.
As beautiful as it is, many forested areas in Queensland have been cleared for surface mining and agricultural use. This has resulted in frequent flooding, erosion issues, and forest fragmentation. The Arbor Day Foundation is helping plant trees to return the area to its native state. Doing so will create jobs, boost ecosystem resilience, improve water quality leading to the Great Barrier Reef, and provide better habitat for the country’s rare and wonderful animals.
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It stretches across six states and the District of Columbia, covers 64,000 square miles, contains more than 100,000 rivers and streams, and supports more than 18 million people and 3,600 species of plants and animals.
The Bay’s rich history, abundant fisheries, and astounding beauty are all critical to the health, economy, and way of life for the Mid-Atlantic region. However, this important resource is becoming increasingly polluted by agricultural and urban runoff, particularly in the state of Pennsylvania.In 2021, the Arbor Day Foundation teamed up with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to plant more than 60,000 trees in Pennsylvania. The newly planted trees will filter and absorb pollution, stabilize stream banks, provide habitat for animals, and help regulate water temperatures.
The island of Madagascar is home to more than 28 million people. It’s also the only place in the world where you can find ring-tailed lemurs — a big-eyed, adorable species named for the alternating black and white bands on their tails.Over time, logging and slash-and-burn practices have destroyed roughly 80% of the forest biome that these lemurs depend on. With only an estimated 2,000 to 2,500 remaining in the wild, they’re now among the most endangered species in the world.
The Arbor Day Foundation has joined forces with Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium and the Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership to restore this critical forest habitat. In 2021, nearly half a million tree seedlings were planted across the landscape, protecting lemurs and other threatened animals before it’s too late and creating a better way of life for the people of the island.
The endangered ocelot makes its home in a range of environments, from the dense rain forests of Central and South America to arid thornscrub forests of Mexico and Texas. See how these animals urgently need trees to ensure their survival in the face of rampant deforestation.
Find out how these big cats' survival is tied to deforestation.
Hurricane Maria tore through Puerto Rico in 2017 and took nearly 30% of the island’s trees with it. Explore how we're working with local partners to plant the right trees with sensitivity and scale.
See our mission come to life with local partners.
Tracking the growth of trees for forestry carbon credits on small farms in Nicaragua used to be painstaking and expensive. Read about how now, all farmers need is a smartphone to benefit from the trees growing on their land.
Explore how technology is helping small farmers.
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