5 Organizations that Plant Trees: How to Choose in 5 Steps

Trees are a secret weapon in the fight against climate change, and these five organizations that plant trees are leading the way to a healthier planet.

Why?

Because trees do more than just give us shade… they draw carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere, provide habitats for animals, and balance ecosystems that impact global weather patterns. But investigating the best tree planting organization (where your support will have the biggest impact) can be tricky. Fortunately, we’ve made it easy!

Keep reading….

Planting Trees Can Save the Planet?

With global warming becoming an increasingly worrisome issue, trees have the potential to provide a solution. If half a trillion trees were planted worldwide, they would reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide by about 25%, which negates half of all human-produced CO₂ since 1960.⁹

So, tree planting for carbon offsetting has the potential to turn back time and erase some of humanity’s mistakes. Even if you can’t plant a sapling yourself, there are many ways to support forest restoration and related projects that offset CO₂ emissions.

Check out these awesome groups and top carbon offset providers!

1. 8 Billion Trees

8 Billion Trees has one of the most ambitious goals of the world’s most prominent tree planting movements to date, and it’s evident in our name: planting 8 Billion Trees. With efforts in large-scale tree planting and conservation aimed at fueling advantageous, sustained environmental change, our team has been working to heal the world’s forested habitats and wildlife since 2018, and is the only operation on the ground in Brazil, reforesting the Amazon rainforest.

So far, we’ve funded the planting of 6,451,213 trees and helped conserve over 166,000 acres of forest toward that goal to date. Along with these initiatives, we also operate wildlife conservation and rescue efforts near the Amazon Rainforest.

Monthly donations are used to establish and develop nurseries and environmental research centers, as well as designate planting sites. Supporters can partner with 8 Billion Trees in these extraordinary efforts by buying the company’s merchandise, or purchasing specific carbon removal packages.

We also offer unique opportunities for businesses to shrink their carbon footprints with our Climate Plus Program. By enrolling a specific construction project or construction firm in the program, you can earn carbon credits through your support of 8 Billion Trees’ reforestation activities.

We have partnered with organizations and governments all around the world to maximize our ecological reach across the following countries:

• Australia
• Madagascar
• Nepal
• Kenya
• Mozambique
• Nicaragua

To start your journey toward a more sustainable lifestyle, learn more about your carbon footprint, check out our ecological footprint calculator, which shows exactly how much CO₂ your current lifestyle emits, and how many trees you’d need to plant to become carbon neutral.

2. The Nature Conservancy

Like 8 Billion Trees, The Nature Conservancy also holds a highly ambitious goal of planting a massive number of trees to save the planet as we know it.⁵ More specifically, this organization is working to plant one billion trees worldwide by 2025.

Its inception began in 1951, but was officially launched in 2008, starting with the restoration of the Atlantic Forest in Brazil. Since then, The Nature Conservancy has expanded to the United States and China, paying particular attention to areas where the forested land has been severely damaged.

This organization’s efforts are both present- and future-focused, aiming to make the planet stronger now and ensuring that the restored habitats will survive for many years to come. The Nature Conservancy leverages its wealth of experience and authority in the industry of environmental conservation to complete this critical work.

Plus, The Nature Conservancy is a registered 501(c)(3), which means you can claim your donations as deductions on your federal taxes.

3. Arbor Day Foundation

The Arbor Day Foundation began in 1972 on the centennial observance of Arbor Day.⁶ To date, the Arbor Day Foundation has helped plant over 350 million trees worldwide. The organization’s work is driven by the idea that trees are the key to an eco-friendlier, healthier future for humanity. This work has two main facets: conservation and education.

With conservation, the Arbor Day Foundation supports and leads the restoration of various forests and improves tree cover in global communities. Some of these programs include:

• Alliance for Community Trees
• Replanting Our Forests
• Rainforest Rescue
• Conservation Trees

They also provide a wealth of educational programs for youth and adults:

• Tree Line USA
• Tree Campus Higher Education
• Tree Campus K-12

The Arbor Day Foundation also provides opportunities for corporations and individuals to offset their carbon footprint and earn carbon credits through their Forestry Carbon Credits program. Since this organization is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, you’ll be able to claim donations on your taxes.

4. Trees for the Future

Trees for the Future is more people-focused than the average tree planting organization.⁷ Although their work does indeed benefit the environment, the company’s primary goal is to end hunger and train farmers to get the most of their land by regenerating its health and self-sustaining qualities.

This training extends over four years and is available through their program called the “Forest Garden Approach.”⁷ While they hone their skills, farmers plant several thousand tree seeds to restore the soil’s nutrient content.

Once the land has regained its health, the farmers can grow much healthier crops. Ultimately, this boosts the agriculturalists’ revenue and expands public access to food.

So far, Trees for the Future has planted 191,000,000 trees and restored 26,786 acres.¹ The organization’s work has positively impacted 151,025 and surely countless more beyond what the records show. In fact, numerous families reported that their training and mature gardens cultivated through the educational program fed them through the pandemic.²

Partnering with Trees for the Future is a step toward ending hunger worldwide by increasing food security and improving nutrition for entire communities. This organization’s education ensures that farmers can support themselves and their families with a higher income and, more importantly, that all these benefits last for generations.

5. American Forests

American Forests is another one of the United States’ oldest national non-profit conservation organizations.⁸ It started in 1875 and was even integral to creating another historic environmental establishment, the U.S. Forest Service.

As the name implies, this organization focuses on forests in the United States exclusively. Active members are focused on reforestation from coast to coast, through all sorts of landscapes, urbanized and rural.

By 2030, American Forests aims to have planted at least four billion trees nationwide, specifically across 16 million acres of North America’s land. Furthermore, the company intends to help 100 American cities achieve a passing Tree Equity Score and provide forestry jobs to at least 100,000 people.

(American Forests developed the Tree Equity Score to address racial and economic disparities in tree distribution across American communities.³ This allows accurate prioritization of tree planting efforts, ensuring the communities with the greatest need for trees get them first.)

Joining American Forests gives you the option to support their tree planting work through the urban forestry program,⁴ Community ReLeaf, help pro-environmental political activity, and even join employer-matching gift initiatives.

Steps to Choosing the Best Tree Planting Organization for You

Clearly, there are several options out there to support tree planting efforts to ensure a greener, healthier tomorrow. You may not be able to donate to them all, so here are some tips to help you choose the best organization for you.

1. Check the Types of Donations Allowed

Not all tree planting organizations allow donations in the same way. For instance, some companies might take donations as an add-on to a purchase or simply allocate a portion of the transaction to a project of your choice.

On the other hand, you might prefer to make a one-time donation without buying anything or subscribing to a regular contribution plan. You might also be able to offer both cash and non-cash contributions, which must be treated differently on your federal taxes. See what the company has available to determine what works best for you.

2. Ask About Limitations for Donors

Before you commit to a specific tree planting organization, make sure there won’t be any limitations that stand in the way of your support. For instance, there might be a minimum donation requirement that exceeds your budget or requires a different payment frequency.

You’ll also want to watch out for caveats like the organization’s tax status. A 501(c)(3) designation means you’ll be able to claim your contribution on your federal taxes.

Make sure to check their refund policy and read the terms and conditions before signing up, as well.

3. Verify Financial Transparency

An environmental organization’s financial transparency is critical. You not only want to be sure that your money is being used appropriately, but that it’s being distributed fairly across projects.

Ideally, if you choose a non-profit organization, they will have their financial report available somewhere on their platform. If the organization is not a registered non-profit, it doesn’t need to disclose such information. In this case, an absent financial report is probably not a sign of a lack of transparency.

4. Research the Organization’s Tree Planting Projects

This step is dual purpose, because it exposes you to the work the organization is doing and requires discernment to determine whether the projects are legitimate or not. The most critical project characteristics to look for include:

• Listed as an official partner with notable international charities and NGOs (non-governmental organizations)
• Projects have been mentioned on the news in some capacity
• Any governmental contracts or agreements should be clearly listed on the platform

5. Ensure the Projects Align with Your Values

If the program you donate to aligns with your values, whether they are helping people, wildlife, or Earth’s many ecosystems, then it’s the right choice for you.

With so many ways to offset CO₂ emissions, afforestation and reforestation efforts are among the most effective and accessible. Beyond reducing carbon dioxide emissions, they also pay back ecological debt by helping animals, rebuilding ecosystems, and restoring habitats.

To help save the world’s forests and all life that depends on them, get involved with a tree planting organization today and join the fight to save the planet.