How Planting Trees is a Community Effort Community Effort Full of Everyday Heroes

From increased extreme weather events to rising sea levels, extended wildfire seasons, and prolonged droughts, our climate is changing right before our eyes. And many wonder: will we be able to change quickly enough to fix it?

The good news is that although there are many challenges to overcome, this is no longer a fringe issue. There are millions of everyday heroes worldwide who are dedicating their skills, lives, and careers to addressing the climate crisis and creating a healthier planet.

That’s where we come in: One Tree Planted is a 501c(3) non-profit with a focus on global reforestation. We’re dedicated to making it easier for individuals and businesses to give back to the environment, create a healthy climate, protect biodiversity, and plant native tree species around the world.

When most people think about reforestation, they think about trees, but it’s the people who make restoration projects happen in the service of nature. From donors to administrators, nursery managers, ecologists, storytellers, community volunteers, and tree planters, everyone has a role to play.

One hero we’re privileged to work with is Zach Clark-Lee, Nursery Production Manager at the Colorado State Forest Service Seedling Nursery. Driven by “a purpose, a want, and a need to make our world a better place,” he grows and cares for 500,000 native trees, perennials, shrubs, and grasses every year. His days are spent seeding, transplanting, weeding, and getting orders ready for distribution. These plants are used for post-fire/flood restoration, wildlife habitat, erosion control, living snow fences, windbreaks, and more. He recently worked with us to plant trees in a burn scar from Colorado’s High Park fire.

Combined, efforts like Zach’s create a powerful ripple effect: reforestation restores damaged ecosystems, provides habitat for biodiversity, stabilizes soils, supports the water cycle, cleans the air, captures carbon, and cools the planet. It can also bring people together, heal communities, and stimulate local economies. Pretty good for planting trees!

To learn more, you can find us at OneTreePlanted.org and @onetreeplanted on social media.