At the beginning of 2020, the NFF looked forward to funding nearly 8 million trees across our National Forests. The pandemic soon altered these plans, as it did for so much else. Several of our projects experienced unavoidable impacts and delays that rightfully put the health and safety of locals and forestry workers first. Despite the impacts, most of our projects safely moved forward and we ended the year with great progress on our 50 Million For Our Forests campaign, funding more than 5 million trees.

See where we funded projects and learn more about our work in our 2020 Impact Report.

What Do >5 Million Trees Mean for Our National Forests?

18,000 Acres Planted

Collectively, the acreage reforested is roughly equivalent to the size of 279,000 tennis courts. These “courts” of restored habitat will provide homes to thousands of species of wildlife and help keep these areas forested.

25 Tree Species Planted

From Douglas-fir and whitebark pine, to shortleaf and longleaf pine, the species planted will grow to mature trees that provide the benefits that support us all.

66 Total Projects across 20 States

National Forests are found in 43 states across the U.S. and on Puerto Rico. While every National Forest may not need tree planting in a given year, our diverse projects span the country and connect with local conservation efforts, perhaps in your own area.

2.8 Million Metric Tons CO2e Sequestered Over 100 Years

Over their lifetime, these trees can take a powerful punch at climate change – providing the equivalent of capturing the emissions released by driving from Washington’s Olympic National Forest to Florida’s Ocala National Forest over 2 million times!

Over 7.7 Billion Gallons of Rainwater Caught

These trees will help improve watersheds, supporting aquatic life and contributing to our water supply. Once mature, they can collectively catch over 7.7 billion gallons of rainwater annually. That’s enough water to supply nearly 26,000 American families with water for a day.

Progress Toward Our Goal of 50 Million for Our Forests

When our campaign to plant 50 million trees began in 2018, we started from scratch. Since then, we’ve planted more than 14 million trees. We still have millions of trees to plant, but have come a long way for our National Forests. Every millionth tree planted marks another few thousand acres of forest habitat restored for wildlife, watersheds, and all of us.

We are grateful to our Forest Service partners and the tree planters who carried projects forward during this difficult year. We are also incredibly thankful to our many supporters who make this work possible. We couldn’t have planted a single tree without the support of our corporate partners, small business partners, and individual donors. It is their generosity and hope for the future of our forests that drives our campaign.