I’m sure you remember the devastation of Hurricanes Helene and Milton last fall. The back-to-back storms brought havoc and heartache, and in the process, decimated tree canopies. In North Carolina alone, experts estimate about 200,000 acres of federally protected forests sustained catastrophic damage. As forestry leaders with an expansive network of partners, we felt a responsibility to make a bold commitment to help plant and distribute 10 million trees in the six impacted states.
We’ve helped to replant trees in disasteraffected communities and forestlands since 2005, and we understand how important this work is. But it doesn’t happen overnight. Following Hurricanes Helene and Milton, we collaborated with our local partners to determine the right time to begin replanting. We’re excited that work is now well underway. In the wake of despair, we’ve witnessed the healing power of trees and the hope that blooms beneath a renewed canopy.
Still, the road to recovery is long. We’re grateful for the support of our members as we seek to plant a better future, putting hope in motion — together.
DAN LAMBE
Residents of Vermont receive Arbor Day Foundation trees to improve public health outcomes.
TREES AND PUBLIC HEALTH: A MATCH MADE IN VERMONT
Even in cold-climate states, extreme heat is an issue.
In Vermont, a third of residents do not have air conditioning of any kind and only 7% of homes have central air.
“Most heat-related deaths in cold climates like Vermont tend to happen at home,” says Jared Ulmer, climate and health program manager at the Vermont Department of Health.
Short of being able to make air conditioning more accessible, part of the Vermont Department of Health’s efforts to adapt to rising temperatures is to educate residents on staying safe, checking on vulnerable neighbors in their homes, and extolling the benefits of planting more trees to stay cool.
State health officials in the Green Mountain State are going beyond education, too, pairing state health data with the Arbor Day Foundation’s tree distribution technology to get trees (and shade) into low-canopy neighborhoods around the state.
The result is a partnership since 2017 that has helped plant more than 5,000 trees in neighborhoods grappling with extreme heat around the state.
PAIRING HEALTH DATA AND TREE TECH
To find where more trees were needed, health officials used the Heat Variability Index. This index measures things like the amount of tree canopy, age of the residents, reported health conditions, and previous rates of emergency room visits on high heat days.
“What’s really unique about Vermont is the strategic angle they’ve taken with the evaluation of health and choosing those communities,” says Kristen Bousquet, senior manager of corporate partnerships at the Arbor Day Foundation.
Vermont officials used their data to choose the most vulnerable areas, down to specific neighborhoods or even streets. Then the Arbor Day Foundation distribution technology allowed residents in those areas to reserve a free tree and helped them select where to plant their tree to maximize the benefits, and even schedule pickup or delivery of the tree.
The Foundation has used its tree distribution technology to distribute more than 620,000 trees around the country — all offering profound layers of good well beyond the yard or street on which they are planted.
There’s more to this story. Read the story in full at arborday.org/publichealth
PRIVATE LANDS: A NEW HORIZON FOR REFORESTATION
Huge parts of the American Southeast are privately owned, offering a unique setting for reforestation efforts.
Forests are iconic to the American Southeast. Not only are Southeast forests home to some of the nation’s most revered outdoor landscapes — the Great Smoky Mountains come to mind — but trees in the South act as a backdrop for the beauty and splendor of a region known for its magnolias, live oaks, and longleaf pines. The Southeast is even the birthplace of forestry, boasting the first school in the U.S. dedicated to the profession.
Ecologically, trees do so much for the Southeast. They provide rich habitat for keystone and at-risk species. Water supplied to 14 million people in the region is first filtered by forests.
But what sets the American Southeast forestlands apart from other regional ecosystems is its makeup of private landownership. Of the 39 million acres of land suitable for reforestation in the region, an estimated 85% is privately owned. Prioritizing it for tree planting efforts is essential to maintaining a region the USDA Forest Service has called integral to improving planet health. This connection to planet health is why the Arbor Day Foundation has listed the American Southeast as one of five global priority forest regions we are committed to helping restore.
Protecting, restoring, or replenishing a region predominantly made up of family-owned forests creates its own unique challenges and opportunities. Large-scale restoration work happens one parcel at a time — much like creating a patchwork quilt — unlike other regions with large swaths of publicly owned forests. The work in the Southeast takes intentionality, strong relationships, and a network of partners to convert a hodgepodge of private forests into a regional forest that has far-reaching impact on people and the planet.
MOUNTING THREATS TO HISTORIC FORESTS
While Southeast family forests often go back generations, today’s landowners face a choice as they look to the future: preserve their forest for family to inherit, or accept one of the endless lucrative offers to convert it for agriculture or urbanization. It can be a gut-wrenching decision.
On one hand, preserving a forest is expensive. It often involves hiring an outside consultant to perform maintenance crucial to forest survival. Tasks like reducing fire risk, controlling invasive species and pests, managing the thinning process, and planting new trees must be done right. If the land is passed to a family member unfamiliar with maintaining the forest, tasks like hiring a forester, making a sustainable forestry plan, and conducting low-intensity burns can be intimidating.
“We’re increasingly seeing younger landowners — who may not have stepped foot on the land their entire lives —
inheriting lands from their parents, and they don’t know what to do,” says Carol Denhof, president at the Longleaf Alliance. The Alliance formed in 1995 with the express purpose of connecting private landowners to resources to maintain their forests.
These relationships help landowners with financial assistance, education, and advice. It’s an integral part of a forest’s restoration.
That’s why Arbor Day Foundation partners like Timberland Solutions, the Longleaf Alliance, the Partnership of Gulf Coast Land Conservation, and the Georgia Forestry Commission are connecting landowners to the educational and funding resources they need — and connecting them to each other. Shared camaraderie among landowners helps everyone see that their piece adds up to something greater. As a result, they’re helping to strengthen the pride of owning forestland and the confidence to keep it thriving.
HOW THE ARBOR DAY FOUNDATION IS HELPING
Mother Nature doesn’t know the difference between private and public land, so the Foundation works on both. To date, the Foundation has planted more than 15 million longleaf pine trees in the region. By forming relationships with landowner groups, as well as professional consultants in the area, more landowners get access to essential funding they need — one private landowner at a time.
There’s more to this story. Read the story in full at arborday.org/privatelands
REFORESTING A SUPER HIGHWAY FOR BIRDS
The Mississippi Alluvial Valley is technically a floodplain — the largest in the country, in fact. But one could also define it as a aerial pathway for birds.
Nestled in the low-lying region stretching across parts of Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana, the valley is home to bottomland hardwood forests that once spanned 25 million acres. Today, a mere 30% of that forest cover remains.
That reduced tree cover has created an ecological challenge, particularly for migratory birds, because of the role it plays as an important part of the Mississippi Flyway. This bird migration range stretches from central Canada, along the Mississippi River, to the Gulf. An estimated 40% of North America’s waterfowl and 60% of all bird species migrate to and through this region.
With only a bit over 8 million forested acres remaining, the lack of trees has dramatically affected the ecosystem, as trees do layers of good for the region, including acting as critical habitat for the birds trekking through. But the health of this unique environment is improving as the Arbor Day Foundation works with trusted local partners and landowners to not only reforest the flyway, but also ensure the standing forests are structured to support wildlife.
The Foundation and its partners with knowledge and know-how of the region’s needs are helping the flyway turn a corner toward a better future.
“Our partnership has invested a fair amount in understanding and communicating optimal locations for reforestation and the ways to manage forests for desired forest conditions for wildlife,” says Keith McKnight, wildlife biologist and coordinator for the Lower Mississippi Valley Joint Venture. “There’s been a lot of good work done, but we need that good work to continue for these populations of birds to be secure.”
What’s more, the focused work within the flyway connects to larger efforts the Arbor Day Foundation is placing on the American Southeast region, tabbing it as one of five global forest ecosystems most in need of support.
There’s more to this story. Read the story in full at arborday.org/flyway
To learn how trees nurture biodiversity and bird habitat go to arborday.org/nurturing-biodiversity
READER QUIZ: TREES IN TIME OF DROUGHT
Last fall, 48 states were facing at least moderate drought conditions, a record in the U.S. Drought Monitor’s history (the exceptions being Kentucky and Alaska). Do you know how drought affects the trees in your yard? Take our quiz and find out.
1 How do trees regulate water loss during drought?
A) By dropping all their leaves at once
B) By opening and closing their pores
C) By growing their roots deeper overnight
2 How do trees adapt their vascular tissues in response to drought?
A) By creating larger vessels to move more water
B) By dissolving them to release stored water
C) By reducing and thickening them
3 What happens to a tree’s food production during drought?
A) It decreases due to reduced photosynthesis
B) It increases to boost energy reserves
C) It remains the same, but with more sugar
4 How can mulch help trees during drought?
A) By reflecting sunlight to prevent scorching
B) By retaining moisture and regulating soil temperature
C) By attracting more insects for fertilizer
5 Why are newly transplanted trees more vulnerable to drought?
A) Because they have smaller leaves to transpire less
B) Because they are not native to the area
C) Because they often suffer root loss and damage during transplanting
Find the answers with explanation at arborday.org/droughtquiz
THE FUTURE IS COUNTING ON YOU
We all have a role to play in shaping a greener future. One with a thriving neighborhood tree canopy, vibrant forest ecosystems, and a healthier planet for future generations. This is a future that’s going to take all of us doing everything we can.
Here’s your moment to make an impact that will last well beyond your lifetime. With help from the Arbor Day Foundation, you can leave a legacy through trees.
To learn more about gift planning, go to arborday.org/planning or scan the QR code.
We are here to help: Erin Mousel 888-448-7337, ext. 9614 giftplanning@arborday.org
You may also fill out and mail the form below.
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l Including the Arbor Day Foundation in my will
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ROYAL PURPLE SMOKETREE
Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’
Holding true to its name, the royal purple smoketree boasts blooms that are wispy clumps of pink filaments that look like puffs of smoke. This characteristic has led to many nicknames, including cloud tree, wig tree, mist tree, and even Jupiter’s beard.
This easy-to-grow specimen offers plenty of options for use in your yard. It can either flourish as a multi-stemmed shrub, be pruned to a single-trunk tree, or be cut back every year to maintain a smaller bushy plant. The foliage also provides great fall color, with leaves turning from blue-green to yellow, red, and purple.
The smoke tree thrives in much of the U.S., including hardiness zones 4–8. It adapts to many types of soils and grows to a height of 10–15 feet.
To purchase or learn more about this tree and others, visit arborday.org/smoketree or scan this QR code.
We guarantee delivery of healthy trees to our members. Please check ordering deadlines and shipping dates at arborday.org/shipping. If you need to contact us about your trees, call 888-448-7337, email us at info@arborday.org, or drop us a note at
We want your tree planting efforts to be successful!
