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, and insects 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.
Corporate Partnerships
Looking for ways to get your company involved in our Community Tree Recovery efforts? Learn more about our corporate partnership opportunities.
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By donating to our Community Tree Recovery campaign, you can bring life back to disaster-stricken communities.
Your support provides much-needed trees that serve as a sign of hope and healing.
Donate NowRecovery 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
Jerry & Charlotte Ziegs
Beaver Crossing, Nebraska
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.”
Mary Myers
Drake, Colorado
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.”
Leo Lashock
Willow, Alaska
We had the privilege of meeting Leo Lashock at a tree distribution event in Alaska. 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 nationally sponsored by FedEx.
