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Planting Trees Keeps America Beautiful

The right tree, right place, right time, in the right way.

That’s the philosophy of our RETREET® program.

Why trees? Simply put: Trees give us life. They provide oxygen and clean air for us to breathe. They save water and energy, and even combat climate change.

Trees are just as important in urban environments as they are in forests. They not only cool down city streets in the summer, but studies show that urban forests have a significant positive impact on city dwellers by reducing stress and anxiety.

Unfortunately, when natural disasters strike, urban trees are often destroyed. And replanting them is not usually a top priority in rebuilding efforts.

It’s time to change that. And that’s where RETREET comes in.

Our unique program, now over a decade strong, provides disaster relief to communities on a local, state and national level by leading volunteers in restoring decimated urban forests. As one of America’s foremost community-based organizations, we understand the power of planting deep roots, both figuratively and literally. We’re dedicated to expanding our restoration efforts in the coming years, working with one community at a time. We’re in this together.

RETREET has planted over 6,000 native trees in communities across North America, thanks to the help of thousands of volunteers. And beyond that, RETREET has helped an untold number of people learn about the importance of trees in their communities.

Working Within Communities

KAB affiliates work in thousands of cities and towns across America, both big and small, bringing together local leaders and volunteers.

RETREET planting events are truly community-driven, centering local needs and engaging diverse partners to form teams of volunteers who spend a weekend planting native trees throughout neighborhoods under skilled supervision.

The right tree, right place, right time, in the right way.

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”

– Chinese Proverb

Community Affiliates in Action

KAB is dedicated to planting trees now, for a better tomorrow. Planting trees is a practical, effective, and unique way for volunteers to help their community rebuild. And, restored communities weather new storms better, keeping neighborhoods more protected from things like flash floods, storm damage, and erosion. The impact each volunteer makes will last for generations to come.

Educating and Organizing at the National Level

One of the critical elements of RETREET is education. By sharing the knowledge of the importance of restoring trees and native plantings with our neighbors across the country, we grow healthier, together.

Tree planting is an enjoyable and physically engaging activity, and proper planting techniques are easily taught. This knowledge will last a lifetime, encouraging volunteers to become greater stewards of the environment.

Keep Pearland Beautiful Tree Planting Day

Keep Pearland Beautiful (KPB) hosted a Plant a Tree Day on March 20, to launch their annual Keep America Beautiful Great American Cleanup®. The event took place at the John Hargrove Environmental Complex in Pearland, TX. Volunteers worked together to plant trees, spread mulch, and pick up litter.

“Keep Pearland Beautiful has been committed to promoting and preserving the natural beauty of our community for nearly 40 years. The work that we do takes time but has a long-lasting impact that will benefit generations to come,” said Adrian Hernandez, Keep Pearland Beautiful Executive Director.

Learn more about Keep Pearland Beautiful (opens in a new tab).

Keep Montgomery County Beautiful Tornado Recovery

In 2019, a total of 21 tornadoes ripped across Ohio’s Miami Valley over Memorial Day weekend, causing destruction and damage that had never been seen before.

Following this disaster, the RETREET team came together with KAB affiliates, Keep Montogomery Beautiful and Keep Ohio Beautiful, holding a series of planting volunteer events, planting 6-9’ tall native trees across the valley.

For more information on the event, please contact our affiliate (opens in a new tab).

Happy Anniversary to Keep Bossier Beautiful

Keep Bossier Beautiful (KBB), located in Bossier Parish, LA, celebrated 35 years of service to their community by planting 35 trees. Seven teams of volunteers came together to plant five trees each. Each team was comprised of 5-6 volunteers, all trained to plant the Cyrpess trees – the Louisiane state tree, around the parish. KBB is one of forty Keep Louisiana Beautiful Affiliates throughout the state of Louisiana.

Learn more about their work (opens in a new tab).

Advancing Statewide Action

The Keep America beautiful affiliate community is instrumental in our restoration work. Bring volunteers together, our impact grows every month! Since our inception in 2012, RETREET volunteers have helped restore cities in states across the US and into Canada.

3,597

Trees in Texas

255

Trees in Ohio

178

Trees in Louisiana

120

Trees in Indiana:

414

Trees in Oklahoma

491

Trees in Colorado

125

Trees in New York

911

Trees in Ontario, Canada

210

Trees in Missouri

Connecticut’s South Norwalk Tree Planting Gets a Boost

Along Connecticut’s scenic coastline, the city of Norwalk’s Norwalk Tree Advisory Committee secured an $18,500 “Restoration and Resiliency Grant” from the Keep America Beautiful foundation in April 2016, resulting in the acquisition and planting of 16 large canopy trees along the perimeter of the the popular Washington Street park. The committee, together with the help of Norwalk Community College, Keep Norwalk Beautiful and the Norwalk Department of Public Works, planted the 4.5-caliper trees.

Keep Ohio Beautiful Celebrates 150th Anniversary of Arbor Day at Great Ohio Planting Day

Each year, Keep Ohio Beautiful celebrates Great Ohio Planting Day on Arbor Day to provide a hands-on educational program, demonstrating how to properly prepare a planting site, plant, and care for a tree. In past years, Keep Ohio Beautiful volunteers have planted more than 100 native trees at Deer Creek, East Fork and Mohican state parks. Contact Keep Ohio Beautiful for more information.

FOR 4TH YEAR, KEEP AMERICA BEAUTIFUL AND DIAGEO PARTNER TO SUPPORT AREAS IN AND AROUND MLK JR. CORRIDORS AND NEIGHBORHOODS

January 10, 2023 · McCall Vrydaghs

STAMFORD, Conn. (January 10, 2023) – As the nation prepares to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day January 16, Keep America Beautiful®, in partnership with sponsor Diageo North America, is pleased to recognize recipients of the 2022 Community Improvement Grant to support areas in and around Martin Luther King Jr. Corridors and neighborhoods. There are over 950 Martin Luther King (MLK) corridors across the United States. While no two corridors are alike, transecting a variety of different neighborhood types and commercial uses, studies have shown many of the corridors face neighborhood and community improvement challenges. As the largest community improvement nonprofit organization in the United States, Keep America Beautiful is uniquely qualified to support communities and neighborhoods wanting to address the conditions they identify in these corridors. KAB’s core resource, its science-based Model for Change, identifies the first step as involving the people. This, coupled with the expertise KAB can offer in litter reduction and beautification, will support the businesses and residents along the corridor to transform or restore MLK corridors into welcoming, nurturing environments. “The work we do in partnership with neighborhoods to improve MLK corridors across the country is an essential commitment to the health and success of […]

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YEAR IN REVIEW: 2022 BRINGS NEW LEADER, PRE-PANDEMIC RESULTS, AND TRI-SECTOR EVENT AT ROCKEFELLER CENTER FOR KEEP AMERICA BEAUTIFUL®

December 20, 2022 · McCall Vrydaghs

STAMFORD, Conn. (December 20, 2022) – As the year ends, Keep America Beautiful® reflects on the major milestones and achievements that helped in the mission to clean, green, and beautify America in 2022. Founded in 1953, Keep America Beautiful is the nation’s leading community improvement nonprofit organization and has continued to transform communities across the country for almost 70 years. The Great American Cleanup® (GAC) was held March 21 to June 22, engaging the Keep America Beautiful (KAB) network of 700 affiliates and KAB partner organizations to beautify communities across the nation. GAC 2022 saw a news reach of two billion impressions in earned media, with national media interviews on The Weather Channel and Fox Weather Channel and articles in major publications including the LA Times. In 2022, GAC delivered: – 11,191 Events– 208,379 Volunteers and Participants – 14,056,280 Pounds of Litter and Debris Collected – 2,449,669 Pounds of Items Recycled – 29,979 Acres of Parks, Public Lands, Playgrounds, and Trails Cleaned & Improved – 29,358 Miles of Streets, Roads, and Highways Cleaned, Improved or Beautified – 702,451 Plants, Shrubs, Flowers, and Bulbs Planted – 8,465 Trees Planted – $39,796,901 in Benefit to Communities – 2,500 Free Litter Removal Kits […]

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Keep America Beautiful Announces Speaker Lineup for Vision For America 2022

October 18, 2022 · McCall Vrydaghs

The two-day working and learning event, themed “Vision for a Litter-Free America,” takes place October 26 & 27 in NYC. STAMFORD, Conn. (October 18, 2022) – Keep America Beautiful®, the nation’s leading community improvement nonprofit organization, announces the speakers for Vision for America 2022, a two-day working and learning event that will highlight the power of tri-sector leadership to urgently address litter eradication to create healthy civic infrastructure, environmental integrity, and community equity. With the theme “Vision for a Litter-Free America,” Vision 2022 will begin on the afternoon of October 26 in NYC with an impact-focused service project with the New York Sanitation Foundation. The day will conclude with a networking and recognition reception. On October 27, a half-day roundtable event for business, government, and nonprofit leaders to address litter abatement from multiple perspectives will be held at Studio Gather by Tishman Speyer at Rockefeller Plaza. Panels will be focused on pathways, partnerships, and business strategies that engage communities to inspire action and find solutions. Speakers to appear at Vision for America 2022: Jennifer Lawson, President and CEO of Keep America BeautifulGreg Jozwiak, Chief Supply Chain Officer at Dow and KAB ChairmanBarry Rosenthal, Artist and Advocate (http://barryrosenthal.com/)Tom Szaky, Founder and […]

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Our Sponsors

Restoration and resiliency disaster relief programming and organizational efforts are made possible by a grant from the Better Together Fund. (opens in a new tab) The Better together Fund is a program to drive large-scale social change by supporting nonprofits that come together in formal collaboration for a common purpose as a way to maximize impact.