Now Is the Time for Trees: A Message from Arbor Day Foundation President Dan Lambe

As both Arbor Day and Earth Day approach, it is time for all of us to step up and help our planet thrive. With all the global issues we face today — including poor air and water quality, climate risk, deforestation, poverty, and hunger — more and more corporations are taking a proactive step to become part of the solution. And they are turning to trees to make a difference.

Companies are drawn to tree planting and forests because there is an emotional and intuitive connection between trees and sustainability. However, there is a realization that trees and forests have the power to address some of the serious climate risk issues that have caught the attention of investors. Planting trees is a simple yet serious strategy to combating the biggest challenges facing companies, their employees, their supply chains, their customers and the world today. And it is scalable. 

As companies turn to trees and forests as a way to advance their corporate social responsibility and sustainability goals, we are humbled by how many turn to the Arbor Day Foundation as a trusted tree planting partner. Planting trees is core to our mission. It’s what we’ve always done. In fact, more than 300 million Arbor Day Foundation trees have been planted in neighborhoods, communities, cities, and forests throughout the world since the organization was founded in 1972.

We plant these trees with great purpose: to benefit people. And these trees are needed now more than ever.

Tree planting is a proven approach to solving challenging problems on a worldwide scale. Because trees provide the necessities of life itself — and the beneficiaries of trees are people. They filter pollutants out of the air and water while protecting us from dangerous heat and flooding. They lower urban temperatures, reduce energy use and sequester carbon to slow the rate of climate change. Resources from forests help to keep people out of extreme poverty. Green environments encourage physical activity, improve cognitive ability and reduce stress. And trees foster community engagement and connectivity in a unique and positive way.

There is a compounding effect of so many corporations getting involved in tree planting. And the measurable impact of an organization’s efforts tells a powerful narrative to employees, investors, customers and the world. In addition, these trees can make a positive impact on many of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals designed by world leaders to improve conditions on our planet by 2030.

If ever there was a time to plant trees, now is that time.  More and more companies have come to the realization that this is the time for trees. The time to harness the natural solutions of trees and forests to solve some of the biggest challenges they have ever faced. 

We are proud of what has been accomplished through our public planting partners. We are grateful to our nearly 170 corporate partners for stepping up to create change through trees. And we invite you to join us in our efforts to make a lasting impact the world over.

Tomorrow is relying on what we do today. Let’s make every tree count.