What Do You Do After Turning 50?

By Dan Lambe

For those of you reading this who haven’t turned 50 yet, you should know it’s a big deal.

I know for me personally, turning 50 was a time to look back, reflect on the past and be thankful for those who helped to shape what my life had become.

But more than that, it was an opportunity for me to look forward to what’s next.

The Arbor Day Foundation turns 50 this year and you can rest assured that we are going to celebrate. After all, we have a million members, supporters and partners to thank in helping us reach this significant milestone anniversary.

The Foundation won’t officially celebrate our anniversary until this spring on Arbor Day (April 29 this year), but we will be using every bit of 2022 to reflect, celebrate and give thanks. And most importantly, we are using the anniversary year to look forward to what’s next. Because while our mission has remained unchanged for the last 50 years — to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees — it has never been more needed than it is today.

Right now, in neighborhoods and forests across the globe, trees are helping to solve some of the world’s most pressing issues we face as a planet. Climate change, access to clean water, environmental equity, global poverty and hunger — the list doesn’t end there.

So, while we are unabashedly proud that we have helped to plant and distribute almost 500 million trees across 50 countries in our first 50 years, reaching this milestone has made us nothing if not even more focused on the next 50 years and how trees can play an even bigger role in our lives.

The Arbor Day Foundation has big plans this year and we can’t wait to share the details. Stay tuned.

Dan Lambe is the president of the Arbor Day Foundation. He can be reached at dlambe@arborday.org.