Meet Our Team A Global Effort

More than 50 countries benefit from Arbor Day Foundation support

Global planting projects have been a key part of our mission for many years. It all began in 2006, with just one country outside the United States. Today, the Arbor Day Foundation is proud to support planting projects in more than 50 countries.

The Future of Hardiness Zones

New tool forecasts how planting regions might shift in the coming decades

Alana Tucker, Program Manager, Tree City Programs

What do you love about your work at the Arbor Day Foundation?

I get to meet like-minded people from all over the world! The world seems like a much smaller and better place when I am constantly surrounded by people making cities greener worldwide. It’s also so inspiring to learn the creative ways that Tree Cities are making the case to citizens and politicians about the importance of investing in urban forestry.

How did you develop a connection with trees?

My connection with trees began when I was a little girl. My dad built me a “tree house” in our backyard, which was essentially a bunch of spare two-by-fours wedged between branches so we could climb into the canopy. It was the best! However, I didn’t really discover my love for trees until I was on a spring break trip to Utah my junior year of college. So, my relationship with trees grew steadily over time.

What is your favorite tree?

My favorite tree is Populus tremuloides, also known as a quaking aspen. I love the way that you know you’re near water when you see them, because they’re a water-loving tree, and how their leaves shimmy in the wind.

Planting trees internationally has a myriad of benefits. Some of the world’s most diverse animal and plant species can be found overseas, and reforestation supports that rare biodiversity. Trees can also be an economic lifeline in developing countries, creating fertile soil for farmland and providing nutritious food for families.

It’s with your support that we’re able to make this global impact. Thank you for helping us create a greener future.

Trees are an essential part of our neighborhoods and communities. But as our climate continues to change, the type of trees we plant — and where we plant them — will likely shift as well.

The Arbor Day Foundation and The Davey Tree Expert Company recently unveiled a new online tool to help homeowners and urban foresters understand what the next decades might look like for trees in their region, specifically relating to hardiness zones.

“The climate is warming fast enough to change the hardiness zones within the lifespan of trees planted today, so this tool is even helpful now as homeowners look to plant trees in their yards that will thrive in our changing environment,” said Dan Herms, vice president of research and development for The Davey Tree Expert Company.

Hardiness zones divide the United States into areas based on a 10-degree Fahrenheit difference in the average annual minimum temperature. The zones help inform what trees, shrubs, and plants can survive and thrive in that zone.

Stand-Out Projects

The Davey Institute created the new interactive website based on data and maps compiled by the USDA Forest Service. Its projections help demonstrate how a warming climate will change hardiness zones by the middle and end of this century. Users can search for specific zip codes throughout the United States to learn what changes are forecasted to take place in their region.

The website also forecasts the change in plant hardiness zones based on both low and high emissions scenarios. Currently, global patterns of greenhouse gas emissions correspond most closely with the high emissions scenario. Realizing the lower emissions scenario will require significant mitigation measures that are yet to be implemented, but still within reach.

To learn more about forecasted zone changes in your region, visit hardinesszones.daveyinstitute.com