October 02, 2018 3 min read

Plant A Tree Day: Hands in the Dirt Highlights

Move over Earth Day, Plant A Tree Day is quickly catching up as one of our new favorite days of the year! And it's not just because lots of trees were planted, it's because those trees were planted or tended by an incredible group of happy, high-fivin', nature-lovin' volunteers throughout the US, Canada, and beyond.

The final numbers are still coming in, but so far we estimate that over 600 volunteers came out, planting over 7K trees and shrubs, at 30 different locations in California, Utah, New York, Georgia, Vermont, Florida, Oregon, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Montreal, and Toronto. We even had support from Tree Ambassadors who organized their own community planting events in Africa and the Middle East. Those who didn't plant trees due to the local climate this time of year, helped with removing invasive species, mulching, trimming, watering, and other activities that support healthy tree growth.

While there are LOTS of reasons to celebrate Plant A Tree Day, here are the top two that motivated us to go all out.

1. Fall is a great time to plant trees.

While most people know that spring is a good time to plant trees, many don't know that fall is also a great time. And in the case of some tree species or climates, it's actually better (see below to explain why). Plus, some trees benefit from tree-care just before winter to continue to grow healthy and strong. So we wanted to do something to raise awareness for trees at this special time of year.

2. Personal experience is priceless.

Our usual planting events happen in specific locations around the world, so it's pretty rare for a volunteer opportunity to come up near where you live. With Plant A Tree Day, we were able to organize lots of events spread throughout North America so that many more people could attend. And these "hands in the dirt" experiences are immensely valuable and fun! It's a way to connect with the Earth, give back to nature, and become more engaged with your local environment.

Why plant trees in the fall?

Fall is a time of more moisture - from rain and diminished heat - which helps trees establish root systems without wasting energy on producing or sustaining leaves. This allows the roots to get well established before the relative dormancy of winter, and the result is a stronger, better developed root system for the following spring when the tree begins to grow.

When planting in the spring, you run the risk of the upcoming summer's drought hindering growth due to drought, which is why the west coast of North America's typical planting season occurs in the winter, November-February. That's what we're gearing up for next with reforestation projects in California and Oregon.

Special thanks to all the on-the-ground local partners that helped make our first Plant A Tree Day a huge success!

UNIFI and Utah state forestry, San Diego River Park Foundation, Sonoma Ecology Center, NYC Parks, Brooklyn Bridge Parks Conservancy, Presidio Trust, San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, Friends of the Morgan Arboretum, Toronto and Region Conservative Authority, Connecticut River Conservancy, Million Trees Miami, Bonneville Environmental Foundation, The Greening of Detroit, Forest Releaf, Trees Atlanta, and the Laguna Canyon Foundation. THANK YOU!

And we also had support from Noble Oak Bourbon, a purpose-driven company with an incredible team of tree-lovers.

Missed an event? Don't worry, we'll do it again and next year. And in the meantime, you can still help us get trees in the ground 🌿

The world needs more trees.

Want to choose where your tree is planted?

Select your reforestation location below.