Frequently Asked Questions

Question: What is the 4-H Million Trees Project?
Answer: 4HMT is an international service-learning project to inspire up to 6 million 4-H youth to plant trees in their communities to help slow global climate change.

Question: How do 4-H clubs and units join the 4-H Million Trees Project?
Answer: 4-H clubs and units in the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean, and around the world are invited to join 4HMT. Youth boards of directors can vote to place the tree-planting community service project on the general meeting agenda so the club members can vote to participate.

Question: Can organizations or individuals outside of 4-H join 4HMT?
Answer: If groups of individuals are inspired by this project to get personally invested in the climate crisis, they can absolutely join the project and get some trees in the ground.

Question: How do we organize our tree planting events?
Answer: Establish a youth committee to plan and organize your tree planting events. For example, determine where to plant, what species of trees, where to obtain trees, when to plant, etc. Ask important questions such as, should we stake the new trees, do we need to protect trees from animals, how will we water trees and maintain until the roots are established.

Question: How do we incorporate the learning part of this service-learning project?
Answer: All clubs are encouraged to incorporate a learning module to their tree planting events. 4HMT is a SET project, and it is hoped that youth will get turned on to environmental science, botany, biology, forestry, etc. through this project. Please check the Links page for some ideas on tree curricula, such as the National Wildlife Federation's Trees for the 21st Century, the Education Development Center's Trees Curriculum, and the Virginia 4-H's Virtual Forest.

Question: How do I register for the 4-H Million Trees Project?
Answer: Click on the registration page, and complete the online form. Be sure to complete all required fields, and enter a number in the trees planned, planted, and the number of members fields.

Question: How do I update my database record to indicate an increase in trees pledged or planted?
Answer: On the Participants page, search for and click on your club/unit name. Then click "Update Unit/Club", and enter the login information just as you originally entered it for registration. Then proceed to update the data. If you have problems, please contact us with a description of the problem and the updates you were attempting to make.

Question: How do we pay for the trees?
Answer: Clubs have a wide-range of ideas to pay for their tree planting events. For example, 1) use current club funds to pay for trees, states, soil amendment, animal protection, etc.; 2) obtain trees for free or at a discount from local nurseries; 3) write grant proposals to obtain project-specific funding; 4) volunteer to plant trees for a City or Landowner who pays for the trees; 5) obtain trees from a state, regional, or local conservation district. Develop a funding idea of your own, and let us know so we can add it to this list.

Question: Can the 4-H Million Trees Project help out?
Answer: 4HMT recently obtained some funding associated with the 2010 SeaWorld Environmental Excellence Award and the Nickelodeon Big Green Grant, and can offer matching grants to 4-H clubs that absolutely need help with their tree planting events. Clubs are required to prepare a grant proposal following the Request for Proposal file described on the Funding page of this website. In addition, clubs that are granted funding are required to prepare a final report. Please contact us for more information.

Question: Does the 4-H Million Trees Project have any partnerships that could help us out?
Answer: 4HMT has established a number of partnerships that 4-H clubs and units can take advantage of for their tree planting events. Contact the Refuge Manager or the Refuge Forester at a National Wildlife Refuge in your area. Generally the NWR provides the trees, and the 4-H youth volunteer to plant trees. Contact the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity, so 4-H youth can volunteer to plant trees at the finished H4H homes. Obtain bareroot saplings from The Arbor Day Foundation.

Question: Do I have to get trees from the Arbor Day Foundation?
Answer: No, although at $1/tree, bareroot saplings from ADF provide 4-H clubs and units with a very inexpensive way to obtain trees. All clubs have discretion on the types of trees they plant, as well as the location of those trees. The most popular alternative is to obtain native trees from a local nursery. If you explain the project, most nurseries will provide trees at cost to support 4-H and the 4-H Million Trees Project.

Question: Does the Arbor Day Foundation always send out native trees?
Answer: ADF sends trees based on your climatic zone, rather than your locality. Therefore, they may send trees that are not native to your area. While this is not ideal because we encourage planting native and locally-adapted trees, ADF provides an extremely cost-effective way for clubs and units to obtain trees for the project.

Question: Why have my ADF trees not arrived?
Answer: Bareroot saplings can only be shipped during their dormant period. Therefore, trees ordered after the spring cut-off date will be send out during the following dormant season. Also, ADF will send trees at the appropriate time to insure the survival of the trees.

Question: How do I learn how to plant trees?
Answer: Please check the links page to find some excellent resources on this topic, such as the SMUD shade trees video.

Question: What should I do if I have questions that should be added to this list?
Answer : Please send us your questions, and we'll post and answer them here so they can help all 4-Hers.