Arbor Day Foundation - Now Is the Time for Trees: Make an Impact by Planting the Earths Most Valuable Resource

Dan Lambe
of the Arbor Day Foundation

Written with Lorene Edwards Forkner

This book is dedicated to tree plantersthose who get their hands dirty and believe in the power of trees to make a difference in our lives.

CHAPTER 1
How Trees Shape Our Lives

CHAPTER 2
Champions for Trees

CHAPTER 3
The Case for Trees

CHAPTER 4
Strengthening Communities through Trees

CHAPTER 5
Its Time to Plant

CHAPTER 6
A Tree Planters Guide to Trees

CHAPTER 7
Trees for Homeowners

I grew up in a house with a massive pin oak just outside our front door. The branches on that tree seemed to reach out forever, covering almost every square inch of our front yard. Standing 70 feet tall, it was the largest tree in the neighborhood by a long shot and dominated the landscape. The trunk of the tree was enormous, and its branches dropped thousands and thousands of acorns on our lawn. It was a beautiful tree. It shows up in hundreds of old family photos, as it should, because it was part of our home, part of our neighborhood, and part of our lives.

As a child growing up under the canopy of this beautiful tree, I never fully appreciated just how important it was. I took for granted all that this tree did for me, my family, and my community. I didnt think twice about the shade it cast, blocking the late afternoon sun from our house and providing relief from the heat on hot summer days. I sure didnt consider the amount of rain our tree captured and slowed during thunderstorms, preventing floodwaters from rushing down our street and into our neighborhood storm drains. And I didnt appreciate the habitat and nourishment that oak created for the songbirds and squirrels that gathered regularly in our yard. Frankly, I took this beautiful hard-working tree for granted. It was easy to doI was a kid. I had lots of other critical things on my mind like getting to school, heading to my next baseball practice, and riding my bike with friends.

Like that giant oak in my front yard, trees are often overlooked and underappreciated. They are a humble and reliable force in our communities that bring beauty and benefits aplenty to our everyday lives. Trees promote and protect the necessities of life. They also create unmatched beauty in natural forest lands and dense urban centers. Trees are a universal good. It doesnt matter where you live, your religion, your political affiliation, or how old you are. People love trees. As a matter of fact, in this highly divisive and contentious time, trees are about the only thing we can all agree on. Trees connect communities, cultures, and generations. They unite us in creating a positive bond of progress. Trees are amazing, but they often dont get the credit they deserve.

Fortunately, that mindset is changing. Like my coming to realize the value of the pin oak outside my childhood home in Lincoln, Nebraska, today the world is beginning to recognize the vital importance of trees and forests, the benefits they provide, and the urgency of preserving and protecting them.

Trees are under pressure like we have never seen before due to the increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters, historic forest fires around the world, and excessive temperatures soaring in our cities. At the same time, however, trees and forests are now recognized as the number one nature-based solution for reversing the negative effects of a changing climate.

That is why we at the Arbor Day Foundation say, if ever there was a time to be planting trees, that time is now. If ever there was a moment to engage in and become a part of the positive and inspiring solution of tree planting, that moment is now. This is truly the time for trees.

Lorene Edwards Forkner and I wrote this book to deliver an uplifting message about the power of trees and to encourage you to plant a tree and make your mark. In the chapters ahead, youll read about how trees shape our lives, the essential role trees play in providing sustainable and resilient forests and urban canopies, and how you can engage in local and global efforts to plant trees. And when its time to plant, well help you decide what, where, why, and how to plant trees to ensure they provide generations of beauty and benefits.

I am proud to be a tree planter. Ive made a career out of encouraging and inspiring others to plant treesand it is a pretty great job. As president and chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation, I have the privilege of meeting forestry leaders all around the world, from the most distinguished scientists to humble neighborhood volunteers. Their heroic work motivates me. I hope Now Is the Time for Trees offers you the inspiration and the information you need to become part of the tree planting movement.

The pin oak in front of my childhood home is still thriving today. It stands tall like a beacon of strength dominating the neighborhood skyline. Every now and then when I drive by to see it, that tree brings a smile to my face because of the memories it triggers, the benefits I now recognize it provides, and the beauty it displays in its modest grandeur.

This is an exciting time for all of us, and we appreciate your willingness to become a champion for trees. This is the time for trees, and it is your time, too.

Dan Lambe, President and Chief Executive, Arbor Day Foundation

I get to talk about trees every day, but this is the first book Ive written about them. It takes a team for an undertaking like this, and many people have made this book possible.

Let me start with Lorene Edwards Forkner, my collaborator in writing the book. To say Lorene is passionate about trees is a gross understatement. She brought her artful use of language and genuine love of trees and nature to these pages, and I am immensely grateful for her partnership.

Elizabeth Lattanzio played an irreplaceable role in making this project a reality. Her optimism, solution-oriented mindset, and sense of humor kept us all in line, on time, and laughing along the way. A true professional, she has a tremendous capacity to just get things done. Thanks for your patience, Liz.

Stacee Lawrence with Timber Press was instrumental in helping to cast a vision for what this book could be and why it is important. Many of Stacees skilled colleagues worked to fulfill that vision.

I get to work with truly gifted team members at the Arbor Day Foundation. I am humbled by their talents and positivity. Thanks to Woody Nelson for the encouragement to move this project forward. Woody has a lyrical way with words and was important in crafting the tone for the book. Pete Smith is one of the smartest people I know, and his unique skills and knowledge were critical in helping to provide accurate information for our readers. Michelle Saulnier is a wonderful leader who plays a vital role keeping me in check at work, including during the creation of this book. I am grateful to the many other team members who pulled together information, images, and content to make this book possible, with special thanks to Lindsey Sullivan, Ashley Stephan, and Leslie Weldon for their assistance in editing. Finally, I want to acknowledge Matt Harris for providing extraordinary organizational leadership while being a great collaborator and friend.