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This April marks the 150th anniversary of one of the oldest environmental holidays, arbor day⁽¹⁾ and it's the 50th anniversary of the non-profit arbor day foundation.
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The foundation has announced a new goal to do its part and plant 500 million trees in forests and neighborhoods within the next five years.
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Here to share all the details is arbor day foundation CEO Dan Lambe, welcome Dan, so can you share about the significance of arbor day?
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You bet so this arbor day April 29th is the 150th anniversary of the arbor day holiday, the tree planters holiday, and it's also the 50th anniversary of the arbor day foundation.
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And over those 50 years we've helped to grow into becoming the largest non-profit organization in the world dedicated to planting trees.
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And we've already planted nearly 500 million trees in those first 50 years, but we're really excited about what's next.
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Trees are more important today than they ever have been, they help to solve some of the biggest problems facing the planet.
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And people today as they effortlessly remove carbon from the air, and shade our homes and cool our cities and just create more resilient healthy and beautiful neighborhoods and towns.
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Last summer was the hottest summer in the history of the united states, and those hot hot temperatures take a real toll on people, and on communities and on trees.
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The united nations just this month released a new report documenting how the door is closing on our opportunity to make a difference in the climate crisis.
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And so the arbor day foundation's holding our hand up, and saying we want to be a part of a positive solution.
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So we're committing to planting 500 million trees in the next five years with an emphasis and focus on neighborhoods and forests of greatest need.
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Our 500 million tree goal is exciting, it's ambitious, but the real headline is that we're able to use science and technology to focus in.
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And zero in on where those trees are needed the most in neighborhoods that need more tree canopy and green space and forests that are recovering from forest fires and other challenges.
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We're using focus as our guide to plant these trees. - Thank you so much for joining us Dan for more information visit arborday.org.