Why We Contribute to Neighborhood Forest: Planting Seeds of a Better Tomorrow
The Uldrich family, of Minneapolis, has a deep-rooted love for trees (pun intended). It’s a love that goes beyond themselves and into a hope of a better future for generations to come. We asked Jack Uldrich, a well-recognized global futurist, speaker, and author, “Why does your family give to Neighborhood Forest?” His response was, “The short, simple answer is that our family loves trees. (As the photos below attest.) At a deeper level, however, our love of trees transcends time.”
A Question that Touched Their Hearts
The Uldrich family’s story begins with a question posed by the renowned Jonas Salk, the developer of one of the first polio vaccines: “Are we being good ancestors?” This question struck a chord deep within their hearts, leading them to contemplate their legacy and the impact they were leaving on the planet.
Their honest reflection yielded a qualified “yes,” recognizing their efforts to “walk as lightly as possible upon the Earth” but acknowledging that we should, could, and must be doing more.
From Acorns to Oak Trees
Three years ago, the Uldrich family embarked on a journey to plant trees. It started with collecting acorns in late summer and germinating them over the winter in their basement refrigerator. They nurtured the oak saplings through spring and summer, preparing them for a new home in the fall, where they would be safe from threats like squirrels and deer.
Reestablishing an Oak Savannah
Two years ago they began visiting Jack’s alma mater, St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota for few days every spring to plant Oak trees in an effort to reestablish an Oak savannah on the campus. This act serves a dual purpose: leaving a lasting physical legacy for future generations and mitigating, in a small way, the ravishing effects of climate change.
Joining Neighborhood Forest
Then, last year, the Uldrich family learned about Neighborhood Forest and the organization’s dedication to planting trees through the hands of children. They were thrilled to become sustaining members wanting to amplify their tree planting efforts and recognizing that more needed to be done especially due their family’s carbon footprint, which is larger than average due to Jack’s business travels. By supporting Neighborhood Forest, they found a way to help offset their carbon emissions and expand their tree planting efforts.
Jack shared, “Still, we know we must do even more if future generations are to have any hope of a better future, and we are eager to help Neighborhood Forest grow into a thriving organization that spans all of North America–and beyond.”
Living by a Beautiful Proverb
The Uldrich family’s love for trees and their dedication to planting them is beautifully encapsulated by an ancient Greek proverb: “Societies thrive when old people plant trees under whose shade they will never sit.”
“In short, we love Neighborhood Forest because it is living this proverb and, in the process, making the world a better place today and for future generations.”
A Call to Action
The Uldrich family’s story is an inspiring example of how one family’s love for trees can lead to meaningful change. They invite you to join them in supporting Neighborhood Forest or even becoming sustaining members. In closing, Jack shared one last quote that their family loves and aims to live by, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years. The next best time is today.”
Click here for a downloadable version of the Parent FAQs
What kind of tree will we be getting?
Neighborhood Forest aims to provide native trees in all the regions we serve. Last year we gave away 11 different species. We tend to provide species on a state-by-state basis and like to provide different species each year to provide variety and diversity of trees.
When will my tree be arriving and will it be shipped directly to my address?
We aim to have the trees arrive to your school, library, or youth group leader in time for Earth Day.If you are ordering your free tree from your child’s school, your child should bring the tree home when it is distributed at their school aroundEarth Day (April 22).
If you are ordering your tree through your library, you will need to pick up your tree from your library when it arrives.You are responsible for contacting your library and arranging for the pick up of your tree around Earth Day.
While the library should be contacting you about pick up details, we encourage you to be proactive. If you are ordering your tree through a scout group, we encourage you to contact the scout leader about pick up details around Earth Day.
How do I care for my tree to ensure that it grows and thrives?
We encourage you to walk through this tree planting guide for best practices on caring for your tree.
What if I don’t have a yard or place to plant my tree?Can I plant my tree in a pot and leave it indoors?
Ideally, you want to plant your tree in the ground, outside, in a permanent location where you can watch and care for its growth. These trees are accustomed to being outside in the elements, so if you do keep it in a pot for a year or two, be sure to keep it outside.
We are in the process of developing an alternative indoor plant program for kids that do not have a yard or live in apartments. We hope to make this option available in the near future!
In the meantime, if you do not have a yard to plant your tree, we encourage you to plant your tree with a willing friend or family member who has a yard.
How does Neighborhood Forest fund all of these free trees?
All donations are tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law and are not an exchange for any goods or services.
How can I offset my carbon footprint through Neighborhood Forest?
The average American consumes 7 trees per year in wood and paper products and emits 20 tons of CO2 annually. One tree will sequester 1 ton of CO2 in its lifetime (on average). So, to go carbon neutral via trees, a person has to plant 20 trees for every year they are on the planet. Factoring in estimated tree survival rates and annual wood and paper consumption, we recommend planting 50 trees per year per person to offset an individual’s tree and carbon footprint – thus the 50 trees x $5 = $250 / year or $25 / month membership cost calculation.
Botanist-explorer David Douglas — this tree’s namesake — described it as “one of the most striking and truly graceful objects in nature.” Tree expert Michael Dirr heralded it as “one of the noblest forest trees.” To say the Douglas Fir is beloved by the tree people of the world is definitely accurate.
The general public has a number of reasons to appreciate this tree as well. Douglasfir is one of the nation’s most important lumber species, it makes up nearly half of all Christmas trees grown in the U.S., and its attractive appearance and growth rate make it popular in yards and parks.
The Douglasfir grows to a height of 40–70 feet and a spread of 12–20 feet at maturity.
This tree grows at a medium rate, with height increases of 13–24 inches per year.
Full sun and partial shade are best for this tree, meaning it prefers a minimum of four hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.
The Douglasfir prefers acidic or neutral soil that is well-drained, though it can also be found in its native habitat of rocky mountain slopes. It is sensitive to drought.
This tree does best on a roomy site with an abundance of atmospheric moisture and can be injured by high winds.
Douglasfir seeds are used by blue grouse, songbirds, squirrels, rabbits and other small animals. Antelope, deer, elk, mountain goats and mountain sheep eat the twigs and foliage. It provides excellent cover for a wide range of animals.
While the Douglasfir may have first been introduced to cultivation by botanist-explorer David Douglas in 1826, its importance to American history continues unabated. As well as being the country’s top source of lumber today, the Douglasfir also helped settle the West, providing railroad ties and telephone/telegraph poles.
(Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio)
The eastern redcedar grows to a height of 40–50 feet and a spread of 8–20 feet at maturity and grows at a medium rate, with height increases of 13–24 inches per year.
Redcedars are unusually long-lived, with the potential to live over 900 years. The oldest tree reported, from West Virginia, is 940 years old!
Redcedar seedlingsRedcedar at maturity
Full sun is the ideal condition for this tree, meaning it should get at least six hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.
Redcedar foliage provides nesting and roosting cover for sparrows, robins, mockingbirds, juncos, and warblers.
The eastern redcedar is an ancient tree, dating back to aboriginal America.
(Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Washington DC)
The hackberry is commonly heralded by tree experts as “one tough tree.” Found on a wide range of soils east of the Rockies from southern Canada to Florida, these trees thrive in a broad span of temperatures and on sites that vary from 14 to 60″ of annual rainfall. They can even stand up to strong winds and tolerate air pollution.
The hackberry grows well in a variety of soils. It has some tolerance for both flooding and drought.
All of this hardiness adds up to a good landscape choice, particularly if you’re looking for an energy-conserving shade tree that doesn’t require watering.
The hackberry grows to a height of 40–60 feet and a spread of 40–60 feet at maturity. This tree grows at a medium to fast rate, with height increases of anywhere from 13 inches to more than 24 inches per year.
Full sun is the ideal condition for this tree, meaning it should get at least six hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.
The hackberry forms characteristic corky ridges and warts on trunk and branches and tolerates strong winds, pollution, heat, drought, and salt.
It has a growth pattern that resembles the elm – without the susceptibility to disease.
The fruit of the hackberry is popular with winter birds, especially the cedar waxwing, mockingbird and robin. The tree also attracts many butterfly species including American snout, hackberry, mourning cloak, and tawny emperor.
Incense Cedar is a coniferous tree native to western North America.
As the name suggests, all parts of the tree are wonderfully aromatic.
It is a large tree, typically reaching heights of 100–130 feet. The largest known tree, located in Klamath National Forest, Siskiyou County, California, is 157 feet tall with a 39-foot circumference trunk and a 57 foot spread.
This is a fast-growing tree, adding at least 12 inches a year in its early years.
This tree can live to over 500 years old.
With its thick bark, the incense cedar is one of the most fire- and drought-tolerant plants in California.
Plant Incense Cedar in a sunny or lightly shaded area. It grows well in a wide range of soils, growing best in fertile and well-drained soils.
New plants should be kept moist for the first few years.
Indigenous people of California use the plant in traditional medicine, basket making, hunting bows, building materials, and to produce fire by friction. A Northern California tribe used branchlets to filter out sand from water when removing toxins from acorn meal; foliage also served as a flavoring.
The tree can be utilized for the creation of essential oils. Scientific studies have shown that these essential oils have the ability to lower the levels of microbes, such as bacteria and viruses.
(Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia)
The Red Maple brings color to your landscape year-round. Green stems turn red in winter, new leaves are red-tinged, turning to green. Fall color is deep red or yellow. Flowers are also red.
The Red Maple grows to a height of 40–60 feet and a spread of around 40 feet at maturity.
This tree grows at a medium to fast rate, with height increases of anywhere from 13 inches to more than 24 inches per year.
Full sun is the ideal condition for this tree, meaning it should get at least six hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.
The Red Maple grows in acidic, loamy, moist, rich, sandy, silty loam, well-drained and clay soils. It prefers wet soil conditions but has slight drought tolerance.
The fruits (samaras) provide food for squirrels and many other rodents. Rabbits and deer eat the tender shoots and leaves of red maples.
The Red Maple has many claims to fame, including the greatest north–south range of any tree species living entirely in the eastern forests (Newfoundland to southern Florida).
The nation’s largest Red Maple lies in Great Smokey Mountains National Park. This tree was declared champion in 1997 by American Forests and is listed in the National Register of Big Trees as being 141 feet tall and just over 7 feet in diameter.
The Southern Magnolia has large, creamy white and very fragrant flowers that grace this broad-leafed evergreen in late spring and early summer. Leaves are shiny green, reddish underneath.
It blooms May through June, with some blossoms throughout the summer months.
The southern magnolia grows to a height of 60–80 feet and a spread of around 40 feet at maturity.
This tree grows at a slow to medium rate, with height increases of anywhere from less than 12-24 inches per year.
Full sun and partial shade are best for this tree, meaning it prefers a minimum of four hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.
The southern magnolia grows in acidic, loamy, moist, sandy, well-drained and clay soils. It can withstand some flooding and has moderate drought tolerance.
The southern magnolia is an evergreen, keeping most (but not all) of its leaves year-round. It yields fruit that is 3–8″ long, attracting squirrels, rabbits and birds—including wild turkey.
The southern magnolia is better placed in landscaping rather than along a street due to the leathery leaves and large seed pods that are shed in the fall.
The name magnolia honors a French botanist, Pierre Magnol, who admired the tree so much that he transplanted it to Europe 300 years ago.
(Alaska, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, Wisconsin)
Neighborhood Forest is excited to bring the Tamarack to our list of species this year in honor of Tamarack District Library in Lakeview, Michigan, which was instrumental in helping us go viral last year.
One of the most beautiful trees in the far northern forests of North America is the colorful deciduous conifer, commonly called the tamarack.
The Tamarack is one of the few conifer trees that changes color and drops its needles in the fall / winter.
The species turns a dazzling yellow in the fall before dropping its needles to reveal attractive flaking bark in the winter months to have its needles re-emerge a blue-green hue for the spring and summer. Every year those lovely falling needles create a fine mulch that is pleasing to the eye and completely sustainable.
The Tamarack grows up to 40 to 80 feet tall and 15 to 30 feet wide.
This species of tree requires full sun. Tamarack trees are completely intolerant of shade, so it’s important to clear out competing trees or shrubs. Making sure that your tree can grow in direct sun should help to ensure it gets adequate spacing. Place it at least 15 feet from any other trees.
When you decide where to plant your tree, realize that this species does not like competition; it will require a good amount of space between it and any other trees to thrive.
In nature, tamaracks grow in wet areas such as bogs or swamps. Planting it in an area that gets moisture that replicates these conditions will be best for the tree. This is less important than providing ample sun but will cut down on your supplemental watering needs.
Wet, organic soil is best for Tamaracks. It is native to a type of bog called muskeg, which is comprised of peat. This rich wet acidic soil is preferred and will help your tree thrive, but as far as soil needs go, the tamarack is more adaptable here than it is for its sun requirements.
Tamarack trees require some supplemental water, especially during periods of drought and when the tree is first establishing itself. It will not tolerate being overly dry, so keeping the soil beneath it moist is important. On initial planting, adding two to three inches of good organic mulch to the dripline will help retain moisture. After a few seasons, you won’t need to add more mulch since the tree makes its own beautiful needle mulch.
During the first three years, it is important to give your tree water weekly. Follow the standard of 10 gallons per inch of trunk diameter measured by caliper at knee height. If the weather is really dry, increase the water to 15 gallons—the tamarack won’t mind!
Beauty and romance may be the first images many people associate with the gleaming white paper birch. But this symbol of the north country has earned its place in history as a continuously useful tree that has served North Americans since the earliest days of human activity.
Today it is one of the best-loved trees of the New England landscape, planted often for the beauty of its distinctive bark and golden fall color.
The white birch (also known as paper birch) grows to a height of 50–70 feet and a spread of around 35 feet at maturity.
This tree grows at a medium to fast rate, with height increases of anywhere from 13 inches to more than 24 inches per year.
Full sun and partial shade are best for this tree, meaning it prefers a minimum of four hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.
The paper birch grows well in acidic, loamy, moist, sandy, well-drained and clay soils. While it prefers normal moisture, the tree has some drought tolerance.
This tree develops a smooth white bark that curls and peels (once mature), provides bright yellow fall color, and produces brown or green catkins in April and May.
The white birch received its name from the nature of its bark. Long ago, people would peel layers of the thin, paper-like bark and write on it as a way to send messages. Sometimes known as canoe birch—recalling its favor among Native Americans and early fur trappers as a resource for sleek, sturdy, and lightweight watercraft.
The white spruce grows to a height of 40–60 feet and a spread of 10–20 feet at maturity. This tree grows at a medium rate, with height increases of 13–24 inches per year.
This tree thrives in a lot of sunlight – ideally six hours of direct sunlight per day. The white spruce grows well in a variety of different soils and has some drought tolerance.
The white spruce does well when transplanted. It can withstand wind, heat, cold, drought, crowding, and some shade. It does well in cities and often serves as rural windbreaks.
Aside from providing nesting for birds and shelter for other animals, white spruces provide food for many kinds of wildlife. Crossbills, evening grosbeaks, and red-breasted nuthatches feed on its seeds. The foliage is eaten by grouse, rabbits, and deer. Red squirrels bite open cones to eat the seeds, and they delight upon young, tender spruce shoots.
When Jacques Cartier sailed up the broad St. Lawrence River in 1535, he became the first European to see North America’s white spruces. As he laid claim to the lands he beheld, he proclaimed them to be “as beautiful…as one could wish for.” The trees, he said, were “the finest trees in the world.”
Dear Grandparents, Parents, Guardians, Teachers, Volunteers, Coordinators, Students, and Children,
Your trees are coming soon – sometime next week (hopefully before or on Earth Day – April 22nd)! Your school, library, or youth group leader will be in touch with you.
This message contains important information about your new tree, including planting instructions and species information.
First, I want you to know that you are one of 18,500 people that will be planting trees for Earth Week. You are part of one of the largest coordinated, volunteer, urban / residential tree planting projects in America!
This year has been special for us. In late February, our program went viral among librarians. We had a 20x surge in interest in our program from last year and a record 3x growth in the number of trees we are giving away.
We are thrilled that you are participating!
We would love for you to share a photo of your newly planted tree with your child(ren) on our Facebook page (or you can email us directly). We love collecting “then and nows” of the kids with their trees.
If you or someone you know would like to be a sponsor of our program, please let us know.
Since we had such an unexpected increase in demand for trees, we found ourselves in a bit of a funding gap. One of our friends decided to help us by starting this lovely GoFundMe campaign.
Check out her cool video and song, “I Love Trees!”
Katie Strand's "I Love Trees" Neighborhood Forest
If you know anyone who might like to contribute to our program, feel free to spread the word!
We are giving away 7 different species of trees in 35 states this year:
Coast Live Oak (California)
Eldarica Pine (New Mexico and Texas)
Hackberry (Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, parts of Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, Tennessee)
Loblolly Pine (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, parts of North Carolina, South Carolina)
Virginia Pine (Parts of North Carolina, Virginia)
White Pine (Connecticut, Massachusetts, parts of Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island)
White Spruce (Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming)
Please click here to see planting instructions for both evergreen and deciduous variety.
Some key points to keep in mind:
1) Keep your tree in a cool, dark place (refrigerated for those in northern states) until you plant it
2) Protect your newly planted tree from wildlife and lawnmowers with a little fence and netting
3) Put some mulch around it
4) Water generously or in accordance with recommendations for your particular tree species
5) Please take a picture of your child(ren) with your newly planted tree (and share on our Facebook page, if you are comfortable) – watching your tree and kids grow together is a magical joy!
Finally, I want to say that these trees are small and vulnerable. Not all of them survive and that is Ok. It is a part of life and a part of the tree planting process. We do our part and then we have to leave the rest to Mother Nature. A lost tree seedling might break your child’s heart and there is a great lesson in this too. We mustn’t give up! We will keep sending you trees each year and we will keep on planting them.
I had to plant many trees before this one finally made it and reached maturity!
Thank you, again, for participating in Neighborhood Forest’s 12th annual free tree giveaway. We are excited to see all the smiling faces with their little trees!
We’re a month into the New Year, and that means resolutions have been made, and some have already been abandoned. It means we’ve contemplated the past year, and considered changes for this one to come. It means we have new hopes, dreams, and aspirations.
Hopes, dreams, and aspirations sometimes change, but I’ve always loved nature. I’ve always believed our Earth to be an extension of ourselves, and we of it. So of course I love trees, and I feel honored to have to joined Neighborhood Forest this year.
During my research to learn more about trees, I learned a tree goes through a life cycle much like a human’s (including birth, infancy, adolescence, teen, adulthood, and maturity). This fact was eye opening for me. I’ve always felt trees were somewhat majestic. Now, I see trees as unique beings, that provide us clean air and oxygen, shade us from the sun, and are home to so many other kinds of life. I also see that every tree is special, just like every person. Isn’t it a beautiful thing we get to share that wonder with children, our neighbors and future generations?
This new year your resolutions don’t have to be huge or nearly unattainable. What are you grateful for, thankful for, even if it’s something small? Even if it’s something as small as a tree seedling. I’m grateful that I get to share my love of nature with children and our communities. My resolution is to share that love as far and wide as I can this year. What are you going to go?
If you would like to join in on the Neighborhood Forest mission, and share your love of nature with school children, giving them free trees for Earth Day and teaching them about community, consider becoming a sponsor or contact us to find out how you can help. Let’s grow this New Year into a better future together:)
Get the shovels out of the shed, dust off those yard boots, we’re less than two weeks away from Earth Day.
To kick off the season of grass stained knees and dirt-caked hands, Neighborhood Forest’s 7 year old spokesman shares an Earth Day message about feet, footprints and trees.
Enjoy!
Feet, Footprints and Trees
Vivek Narula is the Director of Neighborhood Forest (@treesforkids) – an organization that gives free trees to schoolchildren every Earth Day.
