Friday, April 24, is Arbor Day, and this year is special because it celebrates the 154th anniversary of the very first Arbor Day, the 54th anniversary of the Arbor Day Foundation, and the 50th anniversary of the Tree City USA program.
To mark the occasion, the Foundation is running its biggest campaign yet: the Million Trees Project, a spring push to put 1 million new trees into communities across the country. It’s an ambitious, hopeful goal. But Kevin Loewen thinks the most important question isn’t how many trees get planted, but which ones.
What Is Arbor Day, And Why Does It Still Matter?
Arbor Day originally started with a problem. In 1872, journalist Julius Sterling Morton looked out at the largely treeless Nebraska plains and proposed to set aside one day specifically for planting trees. Nebraskans showed up. Over 1 million trees were planted on that very first Arbor Day. The idea spread fast, and now more than 50 countries observe some version of the holiday.
In the U.S., the holiday falls on the last Friday of April each year. It’s not a federal holiday (and sadly, you probably won’t get the day off work), but it is a civic nudge to get out and do something useful.
In 2026, the FAO and the Arbor Day Foundation jointly recognized a record 283 Tree Cities of the World. These are cities that meet formal standards for urban forest governance and care.
The Million Trees Project
The Foundation’s spring campaign is genuinely exciting. New members who donate $10 receive 10 free bare-root seedlings timed for April 24 planting, and participants are encouraged to share their planting stories nationwide as part of the broader movement.
Kevin Loewen‘s enthusiasm for the initiative comes with a caveat, though. A million trees planted in the wrong places, or with the wrong species, can deliver a fraction of the ecological benefit that a smaller number of well-chosen native trees would provide. Fast-growing, non-native species establish quickly and look great in a press photo, but they tend to store less carbon over time, support fewer wildlife species, and prove far more fragile under drought, disease, and storm conditions. Species selection matters. So does soil health. So, what happens after the shovel goes back into the shed?
How to Make Your Arbor Day Planting Actually Count
A few things worth keeping in mind before April 24 arrives. Native species are almost always the better choice—they’re adapted to the area’s conditions, support regional wildlife, and outperform ornamentals over the long run. Many state forestry services offer free or low-cost native seedlings in April, so it’s worth checking before buying anything.
If you’re joining a planting event, don’t be shy about asking which species are being used and why. And whatever goes in the ground needs follow-up: mulch, water, and occasional monitoring in those first few seasons make an enormous difference to survival rates. One well-tended tree beats three neglected ones every time.
Not every state observes Arbor Day on April 24. Colorado celebrates on April 17, and Wyoming on April 27. Your state’s forestry department can tell you your area’s date and the best species for your planting zone.
Get Involved This Arbor Day
Head to arborday.org to find events in your area, claim free seedlings, and add your story to the Million Trees Project. Every planting logged helps build the case that people still care about this, which matters when policies around urban green spaces are being decided.
For anyone wanting to go deeper—understanding which species belong in their area, how soil health affects long-term tree survival, or what proactive stewardship actually looks like—Kevin Loewen’s arboreal advocacy work is a practical place to start.
Arbor Day is one day a year. But the choices made on that day can shape an ecosystem for a century. This April 24, don’t just plant a tree. Plant the right one.
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