Arbor Day Newsletter January/February 2024 by Arbor Day Foundation

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American Arborvitae Thuja occidentalis

THIS EVERGREEN’S NATIVE RANGE is southeastern Canada and the northeastern United States. It’s a hard-working, versatile specimen that can solve many landscaping challenges. The narrow, pyramid shape makes it a natural choice for windbreaks. It requires almost no care when used as a hedge or screen. Pairs of these hardy trees make great accents for doors and garden gates. And single trees soften house corners.

LEAVES: Very small and scale-like. They are packed closely together in overlapping rows, giving branches the appearance of flattened, fan-like sprays. They change from bright

green in the summer to a multitude of rich yellow-brown-green hues in the winter. A pleasing aroma is released when leaves are squeezed.

CONES: Tiny, light brown or reddish, about 3/8 to 1/2 inch long and blunt at the tip. Seeds are released in autumn, but the cones persist through the winter months. BARK: Grayish-brown to reddishbrown with ridges and shallow furrows. Not typically visible due to the tree’s dense leafing structure. FORM: A medium-sized tree with a shallow, wide-spreading root system and narrow, pyramid-shaped crown. Maximum height is 40–60 feet with a spread of 12–15 feet. American arborvitae can be formed as an attractive, dense hedge when planted 2–3 feet apart with regular shearing. WILDLIFE VALUE: Provides shelter in the winter and nesting sites for

grackles, robins, and house finches in the summer. Browsed by deer, cottontail rabbits, snowshoe hares, and an occasional moose. The seeds are eaten by red squirrels and birds such as pine siskins.

PLANTING: Suitable in hardiness zones 3–7. Full sun is needed for rapid growth, but shade is tolerated. Moist, well-drained loam or sandy loam soil with a pH level of 6–8 is optimal. To purchase or learn more about this tree and others, visit arborday.org/americanarborvitae or scan this QR code.

REFORESTATION EXPANDS TO NEW REGIONS, BENEFITS MORE SPECIES OF LEMURS

An official publication of

We guarantee delivery of healthy trees to our members. Please check ordering deadlines and shipping dates at arborday.org/shipping. If you need to contact us about your trees, call 888-448-7337, email us at info@arborday.org, or drop us a note at Member Services, Arbor Day Foundation, 211 N. 12th St., Lincoln, NE 68508. We want your tree planting efforts to be successful!

© 2024 Arbor Day Foundation. The Foundation sometimes exchanges mailing lists with selected organizations with offers of interest to our members. If you do not want your name included, just write, email us at privacy@arborday.org, or call Member Services and tell us not to exchange your name.

RESTORING THE RAIN FORESTS OF MADAGASCAR

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TREE BASICS

ARBOR DAY FOUNDATION CHIEF EXECUTIVE,

Dan Lambe

Winter is for the Birds

A RB OR DAY J OU RNA L

The week was full of unique disciplines, cultures, and experiences from around the world, unified by a commitment to planting trees for the benefit of all. As one of the opening speakers, I reminded attendees of the urgency of the work they do and the power they have to plant a better future for all of us. Others talked about how cities across the globe are using trees to tackle major challenges such as climate resilience, air quality, community health, and equitable access to green space. The learnings also extended deeper into the details of our work: supply chains, workforce development, tree management plans, engaging the public, and more. The Foundation is at the intersection of this important work — helping communities learn, share, and connect to advance tree planting, care, and management. It’s what we have always done, and this conference is one more example of that. Our work is more important than it has ever been. No matter where you live, trees matter. They are central to our ability to thrive on this planet, and we’re all working to add more of them to our world. Thank you for being part of the global tree planting community.

Plant trees that attract birds to your yard in the colder months TREES PROVIDE A NUMBER OF AMAZING BENEFITS for our world. One of those benefits is food and shelter for birds. And for our feathered friends that don’t migrate to warmer climates for the winter, the right tree can help them thrive all season long.

Engaging with Trees and Delicious Treats Tens of thousands of visitors see our mission come to life at the annual AppleJack Festival THE ARBOR DAY FOUNDATION doesn’t often measure the impact of our work in terms of caramel apples eaten. But that’s just the kind of statistic we’re proud to share from last fall’s AppleJack Festival. Spanning two weekends, this Nebraska City festival is a wonderful opportunity to engage with our tree planting mission at Arbor Day Farm. An estimated 33,400 visitors came to the Farm to pick apples, enjoy the forested trails, experience the wonders of the antique apple orchard, and learn all about what trees do for our world. Oh, and they also ate a LOT of caramel apples — 4,061, to be exact. None of this would be possible without the support of our members, and we’d love to share it with you. If you ever have the opportunity to experience Arbor Day Farm, please tell us that you’re a member of the Foundation. If you can’t make the trip, be sure to get outdoors in your area to immerse yourself in the mission we are all passionate about.

Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) – This hemlock provides a cozy home for winter wildlife along with putting dinner on the table. The tree’s seeds are enjoyed by juncos, chickadees, and siskins. Hardiness zones 3–8.

Interested in turning your yard into a winter haven for birds? Here some great trees to start with.

Snowdrift Crabapple

Hackberry

(Malus ‘Snowdrift’) – These beautiful trees will draw an incredible variety of birds throughout the winter. Their fruit persists late into the season, serving as a food source for bluebirds, thrushes, and others. Hardiness zones 4–8.

John Hagstrom

THIS PAST OCTOBER, I had a truly unique experience at the World Forum on Urban Forests. I had the opportunity to meet leaders from across the globe, all dedicated to planting and caring for community trees. It was an honor for the Arbor Day Foundation to co-host this monumental event, with more than 1,100 attendees from 64 countries.

(Celtis occidentalis) – The small, dark red fruit of the hackberry is popular with winter birds, especially cedar waxwings, mockingbirds, and robins. Hardiness zones 3–9.

White Flowering Dogwood

Washington Hawthorn (Crataegus phaenopyrum) – The bright red berries of the Washington hawthorn add not only a striking burst of winter beauty but also a late-season buffet for a number of songbirds. Hardiness zones 4–8.

(Cornus florida) – At least 36 species of birds — including ruffed grouse, bobwhite quail, and wild turkey — are known to eat the glossy red fruit that remains on a white flowering dogwood’s branches in the winter. Hardiness zones 5–9.

Plan Now for Spring Planting Will this be the year you tackle a major landscaping effort? Are you looking to add a tree or two in your yard? Tree planting is already underway in some parts of the country, but for many Arbor Day Foundation members, now is the time to begin planning your spring planting efforts. Our website is filled with resources to help you plant your trees with success. Start with tips on selecting and planting the right trees for the right spaces at arborday.org/treetips. On that page, you will also find instructions for planting, mulching, and watering. Looking to order trees that can be delivered right to your door? Check out arborday.org/nursery.

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On the cover: As replanting efforts continue to grow across the island nation of Madagascar, critical habitat for more species of lemurs — including the ring-tailed lemur — is improving.

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Planting After the Fire One community’s movement to restore its forest WHEN THE CREEK FIRE RAGED through central California in 2020, it left devastation in its path. People in Shaver Lake and surrounding communities were evacuated, homes were lost, and the dense tree canopy that once defined this area was gone. Over the past three years, cleanup efforts in Shaver Lake have been ongoing, and people have begun to replant the trees they lost. In 2023, with the help of the Arbor Day Foundation, the Sierra Resource Conservation District, and the Central Sierra Resilience Fund, the Creek Fire Recovery Collaborative planted and distributed nearly 20,000 trees in the area over two days. It was a wonderful opportunity to bring together volunteers in the

community to restore their beloved tree canopy. “We had probably 25 to 50 volunteers each day helping us plant,” said Tanner Michaelson, chair of the Creek Fire Recovery Collaborative. “And then there were 25 to 50 landowners who came through each day to pick trees up and plant them on their properties.”

A Win for Wildlife in Nicaragua

Hillsides along the main road were among the areas replanted, in an effort to prevent erosion and mudslides. “That should help with soil stabilization and hopefully protect our roads going forward,” noted Tanner. While their efforts are ongoing — another 50,000 trees are planned for 2024 — this kind of progress has left the community feeling hopeful. And that wouldn’t have been possible without ongoing

With the return of the trees comes the return of the animals that live among them SLOTHS RELY ON THE FOREST FOR THEIR SURVIVAL. Trees provide food, shade, a place to sleep, and protection from predators. So when people began clearing the forests of Nicaragua at an alarming rate a few decades ago, sloths that were native to the area were among the animals greatly affected by the loss of trees. support from dedicated Arbor Day Foundation members and donors.

IRA Distributions: A Tax-Free Way to Care for the Earth CURRENT TAX LAWS make it easy for you to support conservation through a traditional or Roth IRA. If you are 70½ or older (traditional IRA), or 591/2 (Roth IRA), you can leverage your IRA to make tax-free contributions — up to $105,000 per year. Simply direct a distribution in the amount you choose to the Arbor Day Foundation, which will not be subject to income tax. And the distribution can be set as either a one-time or recurring gift. This is a great solution if you do not need the additional income from your required minimum distributions, you want to give more than the deduction limit, or you live in a state with no charitable income tax deduction. Not only do you avoid paying income tax on this distribution; you have the satisfaction of knowing that you have made a lasting contribution to our environment. You can still use this giving strategy even if you are under 70½ years old without the tax-free benefit. Simply use your IRA distribution to make a charitable contribution after taxes.

For more details, please consult your professional financial advisor, visit arborday.org/plannedgiving, or email development@arborday.org.

Today, many areas of the country only feature patches of mature trees that once defined the landscape. Our local partner, Taking Root, is ramping up reforestation efforts in one region of the country using a silvopastoral approach. That means farmers are turning clearcut cattle pastures into forested spaces where their cattle can graze. They also receive additional income through verified carbon credits if the forestland is maintained. This strategy has led to tremendous success for the forest and the wildlife. “Before, in this area, there were not many wild animals,” said Narciso Valdivia Lanuza, one of the farmers involved in Taking Root’s program. “But now that we have reforestation, we have identified that there are more animals. There are more birds, there is more freshness and improvement. I have also noticed

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that animals have come here that almost never used to come here before. Coyotes almost never came here, now coyotes, cats, and bush animals come.” The sloths pictured below were spotted on a farm in the community of La Flor. A Taking Root technician was out on a regular trip to monitor trees and sent a photo to the rest of the team, as sloths haven’t been seen in this area for a while. As this image was shared, more started to come in from other technicians — an anteater, a strawberry poison dart frog, a napping skunk, and even a bird’s nest with eggs. These are all encouraging signs that the trees are bringing native biodiversity back to the area. The photos and the excitement of Taking Root team members are proof of the important work Arbor Day Foundation members and carbon partners, including Climate Impact Partners, are supporting. Together we are restoring the land for a better tomorrow. Have you snapped photos of wildlife in forests near you? We’d love to see the animals you’ve encountered in nature! Go to arborday.org/photos to share your pictures with us. ARBOR DAY • January/February 2024 • 888-448-7337 • arborday.org 3

Lavavolo

Montagne des Français

Located in the southwestern corner of the island, the region of Atsimo-Andrefana is in great need of reforestation. The area is home to four different species of lemurs including the Verreaux’s sifaka, the ring-tailed lemur, the Petter’s sportive lemur, and the grey-brown mouse lemur.

Deforestation also reaches into the northern tip of Madagascar. In the region of Diana, four other lemur species — the critically endangered northern sportive lemur, endangered crowned lemur, endangered aye-aye, and vulnerable northern mouse lemur — are facing massive habitat loss.

The Verreaux’s sifaka is an amazing acrobat, swinging gracefully across large distances between tree branches. When required to move across the ground, these primates look like they’re dancing. It is one of the most studied lemur species in Madagascar, and some local Indigenous populations consider the animal sacred. But it is also one of the most at-risk species.

Expanded Impact Reforestation efforts grow throughout Madagascar

he island of Madagascar is an ecological marvel. Roughly 85% of its wildlife, including 100% of all lemur species, are found nowhere else on the planet. In 2010, Dr. Ed Louis, director of conservation genetics at the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, began a monumental movement to plant trees across the island to restore their habitat. The Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership was formed out of this effort, with a focus on conserving these fascinating animals through widescale tree planting. To date, 6.3 million trees have been planted, more than 5.6 million of which were funded by Arbor Day Foundation supporters. With the increase in trees comes an important increase in habitat for lemurs — and an increase in reforestation projects. Lavavolo and Montagne des Français are two of those expanding sites.

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One of the smallest lemur species, the northern sportive lemur is nocturnal and communicates with crow-like calls. The animal is also in great danger of extinction. It is estimated that there are perhaps as few as 50 of these lemurs left on the planet.

MADAGASCAR

Verreaux’s sifaka is currently listed as critically endangered, largely due to rampant deforestation. Ring-tailed lemurs and Petter’s sportive lemurs are facing the same challenges, and both are listed as endangered species. The need for trees is great, and the Foundation’s relationship with the Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership means that work is underway to restore forestland in this region. In 2023 alone, more than 25,000 trees were planted here.

“Montagne des Français is the last known habitat for the northern sportive lemurs,” said Dr. Louis. “Illicit charcoal production and deforestation continue to push that species toward imminent extinction. We need to tackle this issue head-on.” In this area, reforestation is a priority. Tree planting helps not only to restore what has been lost but also to connect existing pockets of forestland. This past year, 75,000 trees were planted here through the Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership.

Impact Beyond the Wildlife Forest restoration in Madagascar is focused on improving habitat for lemurs and other rare and wonderful animals. But the benefits of this work spread well beyond the wildlife. Economic opportunity is important. Malagasy people, particularly women, are able to find more financial stability working with the Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership. And that stability lifts entire communities. Education for children, food security, fuel-efficient stoves, and other necessities mean the people of Madagascar can thrive as well. This success is only possible through the ongoing, generous support of Arbor Day Foundation members. Forests are being planted rather than cleared. Lemur populations are coming back from the brink. And lives are being changed. Thank you for helping us further our mission around the world.

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