Arbor Day Foundation Surpasses Two-Thirds Mark in Pledge to Plant 10 Million Trees After Hurricanes Helene, Milton 

LINCOLN, Nebraska (October 9, 2026) — As the two-year anniversaries of Hurricanes Helene (Sept. 26, 2024) & Milton (Oct. 9, 2024) making landfall arrive this fall, the Arbor Day Foundation has planted almost 7 million of the 10 million trees it pledged to communities and forestlands in states impacted by hurricanes.

Passing the two-thirds mark comes less than two years into what was announced as a five-year commitment.

The Foundation announced the pledge in October 2024, days after Helene and Milton made landfall within two weeks of each other and tore through forests and neighborhoods across Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. True to its approach of working alongside local planting partners rather than rushing to replant, the Foundation has phased the work as land, timing and community needs have allowed.

“When we make a commitment to communities or forestlands after disaster, we follow through alongside our partners,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Reaching this point in under two years shows what’s possible when we collaborate with our outstanding corporate and individual supporters to get resources to the right partners on the ground.”

The Foundation will continue organizing support from its corporate partners, members and supporters to restore landscapes across the six affected states and use data, mapping assessments and information from its local planting partners to help determine where and when trees can establish successfully.

Learn more about the Foundation’s hurricane recovery work at arborday.org.