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Renewing Hope After Hurricane Michael
In the wake of Hurricane Michael, the Arbor Day Foundation sprang into action, partnering with the Florida Forest Service to mobilize communities and replant hope in the form of trees.
September 16, 2025
In 2017, the United States experienced unprecedented devastation from three major hurricanes that struck weeks apart from each other. The following year, the cycle continued when Hurricanes Florence and Michael began their paths of destruction in North Carolina and Florida, respectively.
With the influx of natural disasters around the world, it is easy for affected communities to be forgotten as the next crisis overtakes the news cycle. The Arbor Day Foundation, however, is committed to ensuring recovery does not end when the news cameras leave. Its disaster recovery work focuses on long-term tree planting and care, helping communities and forest lands restore their canopy, their landscapes, and their sense of resilience long after the storm has passed.
In Florida, this began with a call from the Director and State Forester of the Florida Forest Service, Jim Karels, who shared that Florida had suffered $1.3 billion in timber loss, affecting 2.8 million acres and more than 200 communities. That call launched an immediate partnership with the Florida Forest Service, a collaboration that continues to guide recovery efforts to this day.
Just a few months after Hurricane Michael made landfall in the Florida Panhandle, Florida celebrated its state Arbor Day on January 18. To mark the occasion and begin restoring lost tree canopy, the Foundation organized three tree distribution events in two days, providing 2,000 trees to residents who had lost so much.
Those events were just the beginning, and were made possible through the support of corporate partners. FedEx, International Paper, Verizon, and Texas Roadhouse were among the first to step forward, helping to kick off the Florida Tree Recovery Campaign. Together, these partners and the Arbor Day Foundation organized tree distribution and planting events in Marianna, Panama City, and Panama City Beach. In just two days, 2,000 trees were placed in residents’ hands, and 15 large trees were planted at host sites.
The level of devastation was sobering, but the community’s response was undeniable. Residents lined up hours in advance, eager for the chance to restore shade, beauty, and a sense of renewal to their neighborhoods.
In Marianna, 700 trees were gone in just 20 minutes. In Panama City, 800 were distributed in about an hour. By Saturday, 500 more found homes in only 30 minutes.
To date, more than 11 million trees have been planted and distributed across forest lands and communities impacted by Hurricane Michael.
With every tree planted, the Arbor Day Foundation helps put down more than roots in the ground — it helps plant hope, resilience, and the promise that no one faces recovery alone.
