Often during the holiday season we have more people on our shopping lists than dollars in our budget. Isn’t there a considerate way to say, “you’re important to me,” without spending like we’ve just won the lottery? And what about gifting to all those friends who deserve more than a card, but who don’t need a big present?

Whether you’re planning a thoughtful Thanksgiving or big holiday event, the Arbor Day Foundation has a great way to acknowledge your friends and family with a wonderful, low-cost, high value gift—a tree.

Sarah Beckius of Arbor Day Foundation Member Services, says that many people buy beautiful cards from the Foundation each year, and in return the Foundation plants a tree in national forests throughout the country in honor of the friends you care for.

“I feel proudest of working here,” said Sarah, “when I talk to members who have been with the Foundation for as much as 30 years. I talked to someone recently who has been a member since 1985.” She said that people return to the membership pages and participate over and over.

The Arbor Day Foundation was formed in 1972 with a mission to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. This not-for-profit organization focuses on educating others to care for the forests we have, and to support efforts to reforest after a catastrophic event.

“The way this works,” said Sarah, “is that the community affected by a forest fire or other problem contacts their state foresters, who in turn partner with us, and we make a best effort to see what we can do to help.”

One of the projects they’re currently working on is the reforestation after the 2002 Hayman fire. Sarah said she knows that seems like it was a long time ago, but “it takes a while for efforts to take off because we have to wait for the ground to be safe to plant in, before we can donate the trees.” Other current projects for reforesting are taking place in Superior National Park in Minnesota near Lake Superior, and the Blackwater River National Park in Florida.

And The Arbor Day Foundation doesn’t stop with emergency plantings. They are engaged with communities across the country. Their program, “Tree City USA,” encourages local communities to develop healthy forestry management programs and keep our cities growing green. Sarah said that in order to become a “Tree City,” your community must meet these four qualifications:

• Maintain a tree board or department
• Have a community tree ordinance
• Spend at least $2 per capita on urban forestry
• Celebrate Arbor Day with observances and proclamations.

Is yours a Tree City USA?  Chances are very good it is. This program has more than 3400 cities involved, and so more than 135 million people live in a tree city.

And if you’re thinking that it’s all well and good to buy a tree for some forest far away, but what about closer to home, the Foundation can help. On their site they have several trees for sale to homeowners in all areas of the country. Type in your zip code on their “trees” page and you can soon be planting a great new friend near your deck.

But getting back to the holiday shopping. Each of the Arbor Day cards costs about $5.95, and will accompany appropriate holiday messages with a line acknowledging your donation in the following manner:

” In your honor, a tree is being planted in a National Forest.”

So perhaps this is the year you can drop the holiday stress, do good for the world, and keep it all within budget. There’s still time to order your gift cards today. Visit the Arbor Day Foundation, or call us (303.277.1550) and we’ll be happy to help you plan your landscaping for next spring.

(Photo by Adam Haranghy)