Newell Brands Advances Commitment to Sustainability Through Partnership With the Arbor Day Foundation

LINCOLN, Nebraska (April 26, 2021) — Newell Brands Inc. (NASDAQ:NWL), a leading global consumer goods company, will partner with the Arbor Day Foundation to help recover several forested lands across the country which have been devastated by wildfires and years of unsustainable practices.

As environmental malpractice and natural disasters such as wildfires have become more volatile and destructive over the years, many individuals and businesses have looked to trees for answers. “Newell Brands’ support and recognition of the importance of trees to solving global problems serves as a leading example to other corporations around the globe,” says Dan Lambe, president of the Arbor Day Foundation.

In 2021, Newell Brands will plant a total of 15,000 trees spanning across the United States, from southeastern lands in Mississippi and Georgia to the colossal forests of California. Newell Brands selected reforestation projects located on lands which have borne the brunt of some of the worst environmental damage in the nation. Each of these ecosystems offers a unique habitat and home for a variety of species and are located near where Newell Brands employees live and work.

Georgia’s Longleaf Pine

Near their global headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, Newell Brands is providing restoration assistance for Georgia’s receding forested lands and natural ecosystems. The longleaf pine was once the dominant tree species in the south, covering over 90 million acres from Virginia to Texas. Over the last 400 years, this species’ abundance has decreased due to non-sustainable timber harvest, clearing of land for agriculture and development, and exclusion of fire. This project is focused on aiding landowners who are committed to restoring longleaf pine on their lands. The longleaf pine ecosystem is well-known for the incredible diversity of plant and animal species that it supports, many of which are endemic only to this habitat.

Mississippi Alluvial Valley.

Newell Brands is supporting reforestation efforts in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley. Known as America’s Amazon, the Mississippi Alluvial Valley has been damaged by deforestation and destructive farming practices. It has lost about 75 percent of its historical forests, and it is now the most ecologically degraded region in the country. Nitrogen and phosphorous found in the Mississippi River contribute to the Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone. The nutrients enter the river through upstream runoff of soil erosion, fertilizers, and waste. Water with a nutrient overload supports fewer organisms and causes great risk to the source area of the seafood industry within the Gulf of Mexico.   

Trees planted here will remove nitrogen and phosphorous from the Mississippi River at an estimated rate of 15.5 pounds for every acre of farmland reforested. This watershed drains about 40 percent of the continental United States. Restoring forest cover will improve water quality for many citizens and aquatic life across the country. Additionally, wildlife native to the area, including deer, turkey, and especially migratory waterfowl, will benefit from increased food sources and expanded habitat.

Angeles National Forest

Angeles National Forest is California’s first designated national forest and provides approximately 700,000 acres of open space to the Los Angeles metropolitan area. This area of southern California is one of the country’s driest and most fire prone areas. As wildfires grow in scale and frequency, these public lands need replanted to restore ecosystems that have not regenerated on their own. Old growth of many tree species, including the big cone Douglas fir found only in southern California, were destroyed in the Sand Fire of 2016. As the forest is home to the head of the Los Angeles River, Newell Brands’ restoration efforts will also help rehabilitate the watershed above the cities of Los Angeles and Santa Clarita.

About the Arbor Day Foundation

Founded in 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation has grown to become the largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees, with more than one million members, supporters, and valued partners. During the last 49 years, more than 400 million Arbor Day Foundation trees have been planted in neighborhoods, communities, cities, and forests throughout the world. Our vision is to help others understand and use trees as a solution to many of the global issues we face today, including air quality, water quality, climate change, deforestation, poverty, and hunger.

As one of the world's largest operating conservation foundations, the Arbor Day Foundation, through its members, partners, and programs, educates and engages stakeholders and communities across the globe to involve themselves in its mission of planting, nurturing, and celebrating trees.

About Newell Brands

Newell Brands (NASDAQ: NWL) is a leading global consumer goods company with a strong portfolio of well-known brands, including Rubbermaid®, Paper Mate®, Sharpie®, Dymo®, EXPO®, Parker®, Elmer’s®, Coleman®, Marmot®, Oster®, Sunbeam®, FoodSaver®, Mr. Coffee®, Rubbermaid Commercial Products®, Graco®, Baby Jogger®, NUK®, Calphalon®, Contigo®, First Alert®, Mapa®, Spontex® and Yankee Candle®. Newell Brands is committed to enhancing the lives of consumers around the world with planet friendly, innovative and attractive products that create moments of joy and provide peace of mind.

More information about Newell Brands is available on the company’s website, www.newellbrands.com