LINCOLN, Nebraska (October 29, 2024) – Following Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the Arbor Day Foundation pledges to plant 10 million trees in the six states affected by the disasters.
“In seeing the devastation of Helene and Milton, we felt a strong pull to make a bold commitment to recovery — and we weren’t alone. We received an outpouring of calls and emails from people eager to help the communities and forests impacted by these storms and we’re proud to be in a position to help make restoration happen,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive officer of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Human life and safety always take precedence in the wake of a natural disaster, so we don’t rush to replant. We collaborate with our on-the-ground planting partners to know when the time is right. And when they’re ready, we’ll be there with 10 million trees, prepared to put hope in motion.”
The Arbor Day Foundation aims to plant the 10 million trees over the next four years in communities and forestlands in Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Once the region’s most urgent humanitarian needs have been addressed, the Foundation will collaborate with public and private partners as well as local tree planting partners to determine an appropriate timeline for replanting to begin.
Though the exact impact to tree cover following Hurricanes Helene and Milton is still being uncovered, it is expected to be extensive. The deadly back-to-back storms made landfall within two weeks of each other and caused widespread structural damage and record flooding.
The Arbor Day Foundation has helped plant more than half a billion trees in more than 60 countries around the world since its inception in 1972 in an effort to address some of the world’s most complex challenges. It has been heavily invested in assisting disaster-affected communities and forestlands since Hurricane Katrina made landfall in 2005 and has planted and distributed millions of trees as a result. The work has aided recovery efforts following hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, and floods.
While the end of October marks the end of hurricane season, the long season of recovery is only just beginning. To donate to the Arbor Day Foundation’s effort to help replant and restore areas impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, visit arborday.org.
