The Arbor Day Foundation is an American nonprofit group that works to plant trees. It has more than one million members and has planted over 500 million trees in neighborhoods, communities, cities, and forests around the world. The Foundation's mission is to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees.

History

The Arbor Day Foundation was created in 1972, which was the 100th anniversary of the first Arbor Day in 1872. John Rosenow started the group to plant trees and teach people about their value. Over time, the organization has become a worldwide symbol of protecting nature. It now offers many programs designed to encourage people to plant, care for, and celebrate trees.

Programs

Through the global reforestation program, the Arbor Day Foundation and its partners have replanted more than 108 million trees that were lost to fires, insects, disease, and weather in forests in the United States and other countries. These restored forests help protect water sources, keep soil from washing away, provide homes for animals, improve air quality, and create jobs.

The Tree City USA program was started in 1976 and is supported by the National Association of State Foresters and the United States Forest Service. This program helps communities care for and grow their public trees. Over 3,900 communities have earned Tree City USA status by following four rules: having a group to manage trees, creating a law to protect trees, spending at least $2 per person on tree care, and celebrating Arbor Day. Today, nearly half of Americans live in towns or cities that are part of the Tree City USA program in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.

In 2018, the Arbor Day Foundation started the Time for Trees initiative to plant 500 million trees in forests and communities worldwide and to involve 5 million people in tree-planting by 2022. This goal was completed successfully, marking a major achievement for the Arbor Day Foundation’s 50th anniversary. A book titled Now is the Time for Trees, written by the Arbor Day Foundation’s CEO, Dan Lambe, was also published as part of this effort. The book explains why trees are important and how people can help plant trees.

In 2019, Team Trees was created when YouTube creators MrBeast and Mark Rober partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation to raise $20 million to plant 20 million trees. The campaign collected $20 million in 56 days, with more than 800,000 people from 200 countries and territories donating. This effort became the largest YouTube collaboration and fundraiser in history. Notable donors included Elon Musk and Tobias Lütke, who each gave over $1 million. The goal of planting 20 million trees was reached on December 19, 2019. As of August 2025, the campaign had raised $24.9 million.

Arbor Day Farm is a 260-acre attraction in Nebraska City, Nebraska, where the Arbor Day Foundation’s mission is brought to life. The farm includes a 140-room hotel (Lied Lodge), an outdoor play and education center (Tree Adventure), and the historic home of Julius Sterling Morton (Arbor Lodge State Park), among other features designed to connect visitors with nature and trees.

Arbor Day Carbon, a company owned by the Arbor Day Foundation, was created in 2021. It works with businesses and developers to support tree-planting projects that help reduce carbon in the atmosphere and speed up global reforestation. As of March 10, 2025, Arbor Day Carbon had retired more than 1.6 million forestry carbon credits on the American Carbon Registry than any other nonprofit organization.

In 2024, the Arbor Day Foundation launched the Arbor Day Impact Fund, a venture capital firm that invests in startups and founders working on environmental issues. This was done to support new ideas in tree-planting and climate solutions. In 2025, the Impact Fund invested in Funga PBC, a company that uses data, DNA analysis, and fungi to improve soil and landscapes. Early results show that Funga’s methods can increase tree survival and growth by about 30%.

The Arbor Day Foundation has recently added water stewardship programs to its work. CEO Dan Lambe explained that trees and water are closely connected, and protecting trees helps protect water sources. Trees help filter pollution and recharge underground water supplies. The foundation has partnered with companies like Niagara Bottling to help them meet their water protection goals.

Gallery

• The Tree City USA Growth Award was received in Onondaga County, New York.
• Offutt Air Force Base has held the Tree City USA title for 20 years, as recognized by the Arbor Day Foundation.
• Mrs. Laura Bush was joined by, from left, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns; John Rosenow, president of the National Arbor Day Foundation; and Andy Taylor, chairman and CEO of Enterprise, during the 50 Million Tree Pledge event.
• The Arbor Day Foundation hosted an event for Tulane University, which is recognized as a Tree Campus USA.