Empowering local action rooted in community
A tree’s vitality is defined by its roots: a system in which countless hairs intertwine and spread wide to increase nutrient and water absorption for growth. In the same manner, American Forests’ impact grows stronger and more resilient through our expansive ecosystem of partners and supporters. Rooted in partnership, we cultivate collaborations that amplify our impact for forests and the communities that depend on them.
In 2025, we empowered 56 local organizations through our Catalyst Fund to advance Tree Equity — rooted in community and powered by local action to achieve nationwide impact. Across large landscapes, we deepened collaboration on public, Tribal and private lands and leveraged cross-sector partnerships to drive landscape-scale reforestation.
Photo Credit: Casey Joiner / American Forests
We partnered with local leaders through our Catalyst Fund to advance Tree Equity nationwide.
Rooted in communities across the country, American Forests has partnered with local leaders to drive national progress toward Tree Equity to ensure that every neighborhood has access to the lifesaving benefits of trees. In 2025, through the Catalyst Fund, we partnered with 19 new community- and faith-based organizations by equipping them with the funding, technical expertise and connections needed to grow Tree Equity from the ground up.
Photo Credit: Steve Swisher / American Forests
From small cities to major metropolitan areas, these partnerships, along with our original 37 municipal grantees, demonstrate that lasting progress begins with community and is driven by local action. In Goshen, Indiana, municipal leaders are reimagining their future through expanded tree canopy and workforce development. In New Orleans, community-based organizations are creating pathways to green careers while restoring vital urban forest infrastructure. In Atlanta, faith leaders are connecting stewardship to daily life, cultivating both trees and a sense of shared responsibility. And in Phoenix, neighborhood organizers are advancing tree planting as a frontline defense against extreme heat, linking public health and environmental action.
Together, these efforts delivered measurable impact in 2025: 17,876 trees planted and cared for in areas where they are needed most, 56,261 community members engaged, and 326 participants trained through workforce programs leading to 180 jobs, apprenticeships or placements. Each effort is distinct, shaped by local need, yet all are rooted in one common approach: empowering communities to lead.
American Forests acts as a catalyst so those closest to the challenges can drive the solutions needed to create healthier, stronger communities with more cooling shade, improved air and water quality, and reduced flood risk where it’s need most.
Partnerships in action
Leaving a lasting legacy with Life Time Foundation
As part of a five-year agreement with the National Park Service, American Forests is collaborating with an entire ecosystem of partners and supporters, including Life Time Foundation, to conduct whitebark pine conservation and restoration efforts across iconic national parks. American Forests also partnered with Life Time Foundation to develop a storytelling campaign to shine light on the collaborative efforts taking place as well as the dedicated, passionate individuals carrying out this work in the field.
Photo Credit: American Forests
Photo Credit: Andrew Studer / American Forests
Ensuring clean drinking water for the next generation
In California, American Forests partnered with The Coca-Cola Foundation and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to help restore critical watersheds in Eldorado National Forest burned by the 2021 Caldor Fire. Together, we are restoring watershed function within critically important tributaries to the San Joaquin and Sacramento River basins that supply clean water to two-thirds of Californians and millions of acres of agricultural producers.
Deepening insights statewide with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources
In July, American Forests and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources deepened its statewide coalition of 48 local governments with the launch of the Washington State Tree Equity Score Analyzer. This innovative tool advances data-driven, equitable urban forestry statewide by combining local analytics with robust mapping capabilities to empower leaders at the neighborhood, city and state level to identify gaps in tree canopy and prioritize tree planting where it’s needed most, ensuring healthier, more resilient communities.
Photo Credit: George Cole / Shutterstock
Photo Credit: Trulove Studios / American Forests
Forging a mission-level partnership with Tom’s of Maine
American Forests and Tom’s of Maine have grown a partnership rooted in shared purpose and mission-level impact. Tom’s of Maine’s flexible, multi-year support allows American Forests to direct resources where they’re needed most, when they’re needed most, advancing wildfire resilience, climate-smart reforestation, and work spanning landscapes and seasons. Built on authentic alignment and transparency, this approach unlocks stronger collaboration and yields deeper, more responsive conservation impact. With trust at its core, the partnership delivers credible, scalable outcomes that meet the current moment while shaping what comes next.
“Our commitment to environmental stewardship is at the core of who Tom’s of Maine has been for over 50 years. Our partnership with American Forests is one of the clearest expressions of that legacy, delivering real impact for people and protecting nature for future generations.” — Michelle Waring, Tom’s of Maine Director of Value Creation and Sustainability
