Frequently Asked Questions

Planting Questions

Why do you need to plant trees?

Every year, more and more of our National Forests are affected by natural disturbances that cause deforestation. Throughout much of our forests, wildfire, insects and disease - exacerbated by climate change - are jeopardizing the very things that make our forests special. In the Southeast, restoring and expanding native ecosystems is a priority. Planting trees helps restore these public lands, ensuring that our forests can continue to provide wildlife habitat, supply water to millions of people, and help fight climate change. Learn more about the benefits of reforestation.

Where are the trees planted?

The National Forest Foundation (NFF) works with the USDA Forest Service to select planting sites on our 193-million-acre National Forest System where the ecological need is greatest. We plant in all regions, responding to where trees are needed most. Please visit our planting map for examples of projects and our priority regions map for more on where and why we plant trees.

How many trees has the NFF already planted?

Visit our campaign progress page to see how many trees the 50 Million campaign has already planted. Prior to the launch of the campaign in 2018, the NFF planted more than 9.5 million trees on National Forests across the country. We’re excited to keep planting trees and scaling up our reforestation efforts!

Can I choose where my trees will be planted?

The NFF typically pools smaller contributions and applies them to a suite of priority projects on an annual basis. However, we can arrange specific projects for our leading corporate partners who are able to commit to larger planting projects. In those cases, we can occasionally provide projects in the geographies that overlap with our partner’s interest.

If you are interested planting trees for wildfire recovery, donate to our Wildfire Reforestation Fund. Donations received through this fund only plant trees on National Forests affected by severe wildfires.

Why does the Forest Service need extra money to plant trees, isn’t this their job?

While the Forest Service is tasked with managing our National Forests, the rate of deforestation caused by wildfire and other natural events has outpaced the agency’s ability to respond. There are currently more than 1 million acres of National Forests in urgent need of reforestation. That’s where the NFF comes in – we’re working to raise funds necessary to help the Forest Service reforest these cherished landscapes.

How does the NFF partner with the Forest Service?

The NFF is the only Congressionally-chartered organization solely focused on our National Forests. We don't duplicate the responsibilities of the Forest Service, but rather complement its work by supporting important initiatives like tree planting on our National Forests.

For our tree planting campaign, the Forest Service identifies the areas of greatest need, sources the seedlings, grows the seedlings in a Forest Service nursery, contracts out the planting, and monitors seedling survival.

How do you decide where to plant trees and what trees to plant?

We plant trees in areas that have experienced a natural disturbance or those that were historically altered. We only plant native and ecologically appropriate species picked by Forest Service professionals. Sometimes we plant only one species, sometimes multiple – every project is designed to improve ecological conditions for each specific forest.

How do I know that my trees were actually planted?

The NFF adheres to strict auditing guidelines. At the completion of each tree planting season, the NFF generates detailed reports about that year’s tree planting projects for our partners.

Where does the Forest Service get its trees?

The Forest Service operates six tree nurseries where it grows native tree seedlings for planting on National Forests. These trees are grown from locally sourced seeds, and the nurseries serve as research centers for the agency to develop disease-resistant strains of trees.

Are seedlings monitored for survival?

Before seedlings are ever planted, the Forest Service is careful to plant only when conditions are optimal, ensuring the highest possible survival rate. The Forest Service monitors seedlings for several years after they are planted. They use random sampling and, if needed, will carry out follow-up care or install browse protectors to further boost seedling survival.

Are planted trees going to be harvested or somehow managed in the future?

The NFF only supports tree-planting projects that improve the health of our forests. In some cases, the Forest Service may employ limited forest management in order to improve forest resiliency and reduce the risk of severe wildfire.

Why are some areas reforested and others not?

There is a difference between the number of acres affected by disturbance and the number of acres that are in need of reforestation. Resource management experts at the Forest Service are careful to assess areas that are impacted by disturbances such as wildfire. In many cases, areas will naturally regenerate. Other areas require a more hands-on approach like tree planting. The NFF works with the Forest Service to address those areas that are in immediate need of attention following disturbances.

How does climate change factor into tree planting?

Climate change is creating new stressors for our forests by changing important environmental conditions like temperature and precipitation. The Forest Service actively considers climate change when selecting tree species and assessing site conditions. Learn more about the impacts of climate change and how foresters are responding.

How do these trees help climate change?

Forests in the U.S. offset between 10 to 20 percent of U.S. emissions each year. Reforestation helps sustain and increase the carbon sequestration potential of our National Forests, mitigating the effects of global climate change.

By planting trees, aren’t we just creating a fire hazard that will burn again?

No. Tree planting is a very important method to re-establish forest cover in areas where it was lost. The Forest Service is the most advanced forest management agency in the world, and is mindful to not create fire hazards through tree planting. Trees are planted at a density that resembles natural or historic conditions.

When are trees planted?

The Forest Service only plants seedlings when conditions are optimal and when a high survival rate is expected, typically in the spring. If your tree planting contribution occurs during or after the planting season, your seedlings will likely be planted the following planting season.

I heard the NFF has a campaign to plant 50 Million trees that will finish planting in 2025. What happens once the NFF reaches its 50 million trees goal? Is the tree planting need eliminated?

While our initial goal was to plant 50 million trees, there will always be reforestation needs on our National Forests. The 50 Million For Our Forests campaign strengthened our partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, and we are excited to expand our reforestation efforts to support the immense need on National Forests.