Clayton Teams Up with the Arbor Day Foundation

Clayton has partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation to plant 2.33 million trees in 2022 - that's two trees for every one we used to built homes in 2021. This large-scale initiative will help restore and revitalize forest ecosystems in Georgia, Michigan, Florida and the Pacific Northwest.

“Forest replenishment is crucial to a healthier world,” explains Dan Lambe, CEO of the Arbor Day Foundation and author of Now Is the Time for Trees. “Clayton has pledged to plant two trees for every tree they use* It’s a bold commitment from a corporate citizen that will ultimately benefit the lives of their customers, their team members and beyond.” 

The program is especially significant this year, the Arbor Day Foundation celebrates its 50th anniversary. It is also the 150th anniversary of Arbor Day, the annual tree-planting celebration that has resulted in the planting of millions of new trees over the years.

More than two million native species will be planted predominantly on public lands in the Pacific Northwest, Michigan State Lands and Tyndall Air Force base in Florida. Reforestation will also occur in Georgia where the longleaf pine tree once dominated. Replanting these trees will help protect endangered wildlife like the red-cockaded woodpecker, indigo snake and gopher tortoise.

The 615,700 trees planted in Oregon and Washington will assist in wildfire recovery. “When companies like Clayton step up and do something this significant, it creates ripples and waves that influence others,” says Lambe. And the benefits are invaluable: He points to research that shows that trees also aid personal health and wellness. “They are a calming influence – trees and green spaces have an impact on heart health. In neighborhoods with a high tree density, there are 25% fewer children who suffer from asthma.” 

And then of course, there are the benefits to the environment. “If you look at the increase in forest fires, storms, freezes and heat waves, now is the time to plant trees,” Lambe says. Trees capture and store carbon dioxide (CO2) from our atmosphere, regulating greenhouse gases responsible for climate change. He hopes Clayton’s homeowners will join the company’s mission of digging in.