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Trees in Communities
Community Tree Recovery
Trees play a vital role in our everyday lives. They improve the quality of the air we breathe and the water we drink. They beautify our streets and shade our children. So when natural disasters strike, the loss of trees is much more than meets the eye.
The Community Tree Recovery program was created out of the great need for trees in the wake of natural disasters.
Through this program, residents who lost trees in major disasters caused by wildfires, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, insects, and more can receive free trees to plant in their yards. This work is critical for re-establishing neighborhood trees — as well as a sense of community.
About Community Tree Recovery
The Community Tree Recovery program was created in 2005 out of the great need for trees in the Gulf Coast following Hurricane Katrina. After humanitarian aid was delivered and insurance claims were filed, the affected communities were still missing their tree canopies. The Arbor Day Foundation stepped in to help, working with key partners on the ground to get trees in the hands of affected homeowners once they were ready to plant them.
Bringing Hope in the Wake of Disaster
The program has quickly grown to provide assistance across the country and internationally. Residents who have lost trees in major disasters can receive free trees to plant in their yards, helping re-establish canopy and a sense of community.
To ensure the success of each recovery project, we work closely with local partners on the ground to help organize events and to make sure we’re delivering the right trees, to the right place, at the right time, once communities are ready to replant.
More than seven million trees have been distributed through the program to date.
The Impact of Community Tree Recovery
Time and time again, we bear witness to the impact of trees. They are a vibrant step toward recovery for entire communities, and their environmental impact over time is inspiring.
7.4M+
Trees planted and distributed
150+
U.S. Cities
33
States
21
Countries
6.7B+
Gallons of rainfall runoff avoided over 40 years
31M+
Metric tons of CO2 sequestered over 40 years
Corporate Partnerships
Looking for ways to get your company involved in our Community Tree Recovery efforts? Learn more about our corporate partnership opportunities.
Recovery Projects
Every year, we empower residents to grow what was lost after a natural disaster. Here is a sampling of our impact in the U.S. and beyond.
Powerful Stories of Hope
Ziegs Family
Beaver Crossing, Nebraska
Jerry & Charlotte Ziegs
A tornado tore through the community of Beaver Crossing in the spring of 2014. Jerry and Charlotte watched as all but one of the trees they had planted and nurtured over 39 years were destroyed. Jerry shared his feelings at a tree distribution event. “I felt sick to my stomach to see no trees. That’s what this town was built on, and that’s what I miss — the trees.” Charlotte added, “To receive these trees today is wonderful. We will get them planted; it is a start for the next generation.”
Drake, Colorado
Mary Myers
After massive flooding throughout Colorado’s Big Thompson in 2013, hundreds of large trees in the flood water’s path were severely damaged or lost. Mary Myers was one of the many homeowners at the tree distribution event in her area. “You have no idea what having a larger tree in my front yard means to me. I am so very grateful,” said Mary. “The generous gift from the Arbor Day Foundation was a breath of fresh air for folks in the Canyon. So many trees were lost in the 2013 flood…it’s a gift for generations to come.”
Willow, Alaska
Leo Lashock
We had the privilege of meeting Leo Lashock at a tree distribution event in Alaska. As a captain with the fire department, he was protecting homes as a massive wildfire bore down on the community of Willow in June 2015. Unfortunately, he lost his home and all the trees surrounding it in the blaze. These new trees mean a fresh, green start for Leo’s land and a reminder of the way the community pulled together to survive the fire and come back stronger.
Community Tree Recovery is a program of the Arbor Day Foundation sponsored by FedEx.
Bring Life Back to Disaster-Stricken Communities
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