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.