Minnesota's Arbor Day is April 26, 2024. May is Arbor Month.
Plant and care for trees, grow resilient communities!
Plant and care for trees now to support resilient community forests into the future by thoughtfully choosing, planting, and caring for a diverse mix of trees.
Minnesota's trees are being stressed by increasing pressure from changing temperatures and precipitation and more extreme weather events. Make your tree more resilient by selecting a healthy tree adapted to changing climate conditions. By choosing a species that adds to the diverse mix of trees in your area, you are helping our neighborhood trees thrive.
Choosing trees that are resilient to a changing climate will help our community forests store carbon, improve air and water quality, and enhance other benefits healthy trees provide. So, plant or pick a tree to care for this Arbor Day or Arbor month.
Start by choosing a tree suitable for the location you will be planting it. Then make your tree more resilient by properly planting and caring for it.
Great resources for choosing, planting, and caring for trees
- Select the right species for your area, and plant trees that are drought-tolerant in drier areas and flood-tolerant for flood-prone areas.
- Choose a diverse mix of climate adapted urban trees.
- Refer to the Planting trees and seedlings webpage for helpful videos and instructions on how to plant trees.
- Refer to the Caring for newly planted trees webpage for videos and tips on how to water newly planted trees and how to mulch a tree.
- Plant deciduous trees directly east and west of homes to reduce need for air conditioning.
- Add conifer trees to the northwest of homes to block cold winds to reduce the energy needed for heating.
- Shade streets by planting trees along boulevards to lower airtemperatures and lower the effects of "urban heat island opens in a new browser tab".
- Create vertical layers of trees and shrubs to intercept rain and reduce storm water runoff.
- Plant flood-tolerant species along streams or flood-prone areas.These species are suggested.
- Explore how to add trees and shrubs to make your yard more healthy, attractive, and valuable.
Need more ideas for a tree to plant? Watch brief videos explore Minnesota native trees that will do well in our changing climate: Best native yard trees for our changing climate
Governor's Arbor Day and Arbor Month 2024 Proclamations
Watch a recording of our 2021 Ask a Forester live session from Arbor Day where our experts answered questions on planting and caring for trees in a changing climate.
Follow us on social media
Share these Arbor Day and Arbor Month tips for planting resilient trees!
- Daily Arbor Month tweets from DNR Forestry (@mnforestry)
- Weekly Arbor Month posts on the DNR's Facebook page (@MinnesotaDNR) and Instagram page (www.instagram.com/minnesotadnr/)