\nA new national survey\u00a0from the Harris Poll shows\u00a094% of Americans agree\u00a0that trees are good for the planet.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\nIt might\u00a0seem\u00a0obvious, right?\u00a0I doubt there are many people\u00a0who\u2019ve designated\u00a0a tree as an enemy.\u00a0But let\u2019s think about this in context. When was the last time you saw\u00a094% of Americans agree on anything? I can\u2019t even get 94% of my family to agree on whether to serve apple or pecan pie during Thanksgiving dinner.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\nAs a nation, we are moving through an incredibly divisive time.\u00a0We\u2019re constantly choosing sides. We align by political parties or belief systems, and, sometimes, we’re too proud to acknowledge we all may be more similar than we are different.\u00a0But these poll results show us that Americans can come together.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\nA\u00a0tree can be\u00a0unifying.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\nI\u2019ve seen it firsthand at tree plantings and distributions all around the country. I\u2019ve stood beside people in red states and blue states, in urban cities and rural communities.\u00a0And in every place, I always see the same look of pure joy on someone\u2019s face when they get to put a tree in the ground.\u00a0In those moments, when\u00a0we\u2019re bonded by an appreciation for trees, our differences just don\u2019t matter.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\nThis message hits\u00a0close to home\u00a0ahead of\u00a0the\u00a0Arbor Day national holiday<\/a>\u00a0on April 28.\u00a0For more than 150 years, the \u201ctree planter\u2019s holiday\u201d has served as a\u00a0celebratory\u00a0call to action. It motivates people to\u00a0grab a shovel and break ground on a new legacy.\u00a0At the\u00a0Arbor Day Foundation<\/a>, we\u2019ve seen\u00a0growing momentum surrounding\u00a0this holiday and the tree-planting movement for years. And it\u2019s not slowing down.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \nMore people\u00a0are saying \u201cyes\u201d to tree planting than ever before.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \nThe Harris Poll findings\u00a0(commissioned by the Arbor Day Foundation)\u00a0give us an insight into why.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \nIn recent years at the Arbor Day Foundation, we\u2019ve seen an immense increase in support from individual supporters to large corporate partners,\u00a0all calling for more trees to help solve some of the planet\u2019s most pressing issues, like climate change.\u00a0The survey findings match that sense of urgency as nearly 9 in 10 U.S. adults (88%) agree right now is a critical time to be replanting our nation\u2019s forests.\u00a0Trees hold a lot of power<\/a>\u00a0in our ability to address some of the world\u2019s biggest problems,\u00a0and reforestation is a key piece of that puzzle. When\u00a0we grow and nurture our forest lands, we strengthen trees and amplify their impact for decades to come.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \nThe survey\u00a0also\u00a0found\u00a091% of Americans say trees help fight climate change. The response aligns with the perspective of\u00a0scientists<\/a>\u00a0who\u00a0have long pointed to trees as a cost-effective way to address threats facing the environment.\u00a0By pulling carbon from the air, trees are a nature-based workhorse\u00a0on the frontlines of the fight against climate change.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \nCleaning the air is just one of the ways 98% of Americans say trees can add value to forests and neighborhoods. People also agreed that trees provide lifesaving shade, improve mental health, foster habitat for wildlife and beautify our neighborhoods.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \nTrees are the MVP of\u00a0nature,\u00a0and they deserve to be celebrated.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \nSo don\u2019t let this Arbor Day week breeze by without taking a moment to appreciate the trees around you. Consider how you might\u00a0say \u201cyes\u201d to\u00a0engaging with the environment<\/a>. Maybe it\u2019s taking a walk through a park or attending an arboretum. Maybe it\u2019s planting a tree\u00a0in your yard. Maybe it\u2019s planting two.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \nEvery time\u00a0you say \u201cyes\u201d to trees, you say \u201cyes\u201d to a healthier planet\u00a0and a healthier home for us all.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \nDan Lambe is\u00a0CEO\u00a0of the Arbor Day Foundation, the largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees. He can be reached at\u00a0dl****<\/span>@******<\/span>ay.org<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/em>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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