I am not the first woman in the world to be surprised at how much having kids has transformed my life, my priorities, and certainly, my sleep patterns. Before becoming a mother, I was almost completely immersed in my career and certainly felt as if I were completely attuned to everything and everyone around me. But now that I look back, I see that my perception of the world was pretty much comprised of MY world and what was relevant to me, as the sun in the center of my own universe. Oh, how things change!

I find myself thinking about my children’s future with happy anticipation of who they will grow up to be. But like any parent, I have fears, one of which is the vulnerable state of our environment and how it will impact the lives of my boys. I have always been aware of how dependent our health is on that of the planet. But I feel as if I need to — we all need to — fully take on the charge of being good stewards of the earth, ensuring our planet remains a livable place for us and future generations.

American Forests Board member, Erin Fuller, and her two sons.

But how does one do that as a parent with a full-time job and two young kids? Well, fortunately for me, when I became a Board member of American Forests, one pathway opened right in front of me.

As I see it, the work that American Forests does benefits every living thing on the planet. They have planted more than 45 million trees since 1990, in all 50 states and in 44 countries. Habitats have been restored for countless wildlife, some of which were or are endangered. Forests scorched by wildfire have been replanted. Streams and rivers clogged by runoff and pollutants have been cleaned by planting forests along them. Millions of tons of carbon dioxide have been removed from our atmosphere by those millions of trees. And we’re all breathing easier because of it. But the work must continue and grow.

This year, when my boys asked me what I wanted for Mother’s Day, I said trees. Not trees for our backyard, but trees for our Mother Earth.

Let’s leave a legacy for all and help restore our forests. Give the Gift of Trees this Mother’s Day.

Erin Fuller
Board Member
American Forests