Donations

Plant-A-Tree 

The Sierra National Forest is proud to be apart of the Plant-A-Tree program (formerly Penny Pines). This program allows the public to participate in replanting trees after any kind of fire. 

History

In 1941, California's first Penny Pines plantation was sponsored by the San Francisco Sports-women's Association.

Recognizing the great need to restore these devastated areas, the association sent their donation to the Shasta-Trinity National Forest in northern California.

Since that contribution, the number of participating groups and individuals has grown each year. Today, organizations accepting donations for Today, Plant-A-Tree include  the Garden and Women’s Clubs, Boy and Girl Scouts of America, Civic and Sportsmen’s clubs, and many others.

Donations may range from from $50 to $10,000 

At the start of the program in 1941, seedlings could be produced for about one cent each. Approximately 680 seedlings were used to plant a typical acre. For $68.00, seedlings for ten acres could be purchased. Site preparation and planting costs were met through regular Forest Service appropriations.

The Plant-A-Trees program was so successful that money contributed to purchase seedlings soon far exceeded appropriated funds available for site preparation and for the actual planting job.

In1964, the original cooperative agreement was rewritten to provide that funds contributed under the Plant-A-Tree program be used for reforestation, rather than solely for purchasing seedlings.

The money that is donated to this project is still used to plant trees, although because of its success the Forest Service no longer plants one acre of trees. The Forest Service instead seeks to plant a tree per donation in honor of the contributions that are made.

How Plant-A-Tree helps the National Forest

Over the years these groups have contributed more than a million dollars to the Plant-A-Tree Reforestation Program. Through these donations, more than 27 million of seedlings have been planted, renewing 88,000 acres of national forest land in California.

In southern California, contributions may be used to prepare plantation sites for new trees or planting seedlings grown in Forest Service nurseries throughout California. Seedlings are grown from local seeds and acorns and replanted near the areas where the seeds were collected to improve their change of survival. The funds may also be used to maintain existing tree stands and improve wildlife habitat. Plantations are important for watershed protection, soil stabilization and shade for recreation areas. Any of these activities may be funded through Plant-A-Tree donations.

The Plant-A-Tree Reforestation Program plays a vital role both in renewing the national forests in California, and in multiple-use management. Trees help the ground store precious water, protect against soil erosion, and add to the scenic beauty of the national forests.

Donate Today!