Get Involved: Arbor Day Tree Planting Initiatives

Arbor Day is celebrated nationally on the last Friday in April. However, some states observe the holiday on days that coincide with the most adequate tree-planting time in the local climate. For example, Florida celebrates Arbor Day on the third Friday in January, while California’s Arbor Day is the week of March 7.

Founded in 1872 by J. Sterling Morton, Arbor Day celebrates trees and the surrounding environment. The holiday is also an opportunity to encourage tree planting in your local community or sponsorship for tree planting initiatives worldwide.

Celebrate Arbor Day this April by planting a tree in your local community. Photo: Collegepublisher.com

Here are a couple of ways you can get involved this year:

Plant a Billion Trees

The Plant a Billion Trees program is sponsored by The Nature Conservancy, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and protecting nature. The program is currently accepting donations to plant trees in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, which is home to an extraordinary array of biodiversity.

There are several ways to participate. For one dollar, you can plant one tree. You can make a monthly donation and support the planting of several trees or you can give trees as a gift or in memory of a loved one.

The Nature Conservancy aims to restore 2.5 million acres of land and plant one billion trees in Brazil over the next seven years.

Arbor Day Foundation

The Arbor Day Foundation offers activities and ways to get involved that are specifically dedicated to Arbor Day. You can become a member of the Arbor Day Foundation for $10. Along with your membership, you will receive 10 free trees that can be planted in your yard or in a forest.

As a member, you can celebrate Arbor Day year-round with various contests, events and initiatives sponsored by the organization. You can support your local community by volunteering to plant trees. The Arbor Day Foundation will supply you with the resources and tools you’ll need to get started.

Trees for the Future

Founded in 1989, Trees for the Future has helped better communities around the world through seed distribution, agroforestry training and country programs. You can get involved by becoming a member and making regular donations to consistently plant trees. You can also buy or send a tree planting certificate, which can be customized to fit any occasion.

If you’re looking for a more active way to get involved, the program also offers Moringa tree planting kits. The kit includes seeds and a booklet explaining its cultivation and usage. One half of the donation will be used to plant Moringa trees in West Africa and India.