How You Can Help Plant 100,000 Trees This Arbor Day

This year marks the 152nd anniversary of Arbor Day, an annual holiday dedicated to planting trees. (Arbor Day 2023 falls on Friday, April 28.) But if you’re sans shovel or don’t consider yourself a planting pro, no need to worry. The Arbor Day Foundation is making it easy to help the environment this year: The foundation is committing to planting up to 100,000 trees to help restore forests around the country, and all you have to do to help is snap a photo, type out a caption, and hit post.

Simply use the hashtag #ArborDay on your Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter accounts, and the Arbor Day Foundation will plant one tree for every post (up to 100,000 trees) through its Replanting Our Nation’s Forests program. The goal is to help replant forests in the U.S. that are currently recovering from wildfires, storms, and insect damage.

Not sure what to write in your caption to plant a free tree? Try one of these catchy, eco-friendly slogans:

• Plant a tree for a greener planet. #ArborDay
• Save the Earth. Plant a tree. #ArborDay
• There’s no better time to plant a tree than #ArborDay.
• Love our planet? Plant a tree. #ArborDay
• You can never have too many trees. #ArborDay

Other Ways to Celebrate

On Arbor Day, communities come together to plant trees and learn about conservation. While National Arbor Day is always celebrated on the last Friday in April, many states observe Arbor Day on different dates based on the best tree-planting times for their area. To find a local event near you, use the Arbor Day Foundation’s event guide.

If you can’t attend an event, consider purchasing a tree from the Arbor Day Foundation and having it delivered to your home. Most of the trees are 1 to 4 feet tall when they ship, and prices vary by size. Plus, shipping is free on orders over $99.

Wondering which tree to pick? Add future spring flair to your yard by planting a flowering Yoshino cherry tree, Southern magnolia, or American redbud. Or order a popular evergreen, such as a Colorado blue spruce, or plant a fast-growing Northern red oak. If you’re not sure what to plant for your region, figure out which Hardiness Zone you’re in and use the site’s Tree Wizard to get a recommendation for your yard.

There are plenty of other ways to celebrate the Earth on Arbor Day and beyond that don’t involve planting—you can commit to making more environmentally friendly choices, like cutting down on single-use plastic and replacing plastic snack bags with homemade beeswax wraps. You can also help in your local community garden, read more about the history of Arbor Day, or enjoy a picnic in the cool shade of your favorite tree. Every act, even just showing your appreciation toward the planet, has the power to make an impact.