MARION, Iowa — Marion-based environmental nonprofit, Trees Forever, completed tree planting projects in 91 unique communities across Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin in 2025. The group organized thousands of volunteers and granted funding for environmental projects, while also partnering with municipalities and county governments to plant and care for public trees.
According to Michelle Beisker, CEO of Trees Forever, “Our work in 2025 was defined by partnerships. We don’t just plant trees, we strive to get green infrastructure directly to where it can have the most impact on people’s lives. That means our environmental mission is closely tied to communities and the volunteers, residents, officials, and funding partners that make the work possible.” Nearly every Trees Forever planting includes volunteer leadership from the communities in which the projects are happening and are supported with expertise and coordination from the organization’s staff members.
Trees Forever’s 2025 programming expanded through several major campaigns across its service area. The One Million Trees Central Iowa initiative aims to plant, preserve, and create policy that will build the region’s tree canopy by one million trees over a decade of work. Part of this goal was reached this fall through the organization’s first ever large-scale tree distribution event for residents of the ten-county region. The initiative also featured community volunteers working alongside Trees Forever in public planting projects.
Martin Luft, Activities Director at Merrill Middle School in Des Moines, planted alongside his students at a Trees Forever event this spring. “Planting trees wasn’t just about improving our campus-it was about giving students ownership of their school,” said Luft. “When students are part of creating something lasting, they see their school differently. These trees will grow alongside them, shaping not only our landscape, but our sense of community for years to come.”
Other notable areas of expansion this year included the execution of projects in Illinois through funding awarded from the Illinois Community Canopy grant programs. These projects provided dollars for communities to plant and effectively manage their tree canopies while Trees Forever staff gave additional support on updating tree ordinances and reaching Tree City USA status. Similarly, the Community Visioning program in Iowa selected seven small towns to partner with throughout the year to plan, design, and implement green infrastructure projects into trail and community transport upgrades. Through guided community meetings, residents work within the program to expand their green spaces and natural areas in a way that builds their town’s identity.
“Here in Cumming, Iowa we are piloting Iowa’s first ‘Agrihood,’ and Community Visioning was a great complement to this new development,” said Cumming City Manager Rita Connor. “By focusing on all aspects of green placemaking and transportation planning, this program directed our decision making through public participation in the program and resulted in some great projects for us to implement.”
Through all of Trees Forever’s work, the group promotes the planting of diverse, native trees and prairie to build a more resilient and beneficial local ecosystem. Trees Forever provides education to the public on a variety of environmental topics with in-person field days, webinar series, and volunteer trainings. In 2025, the organization had more than 6,700 engagements through educational outreach, volunteer events, and supporter interactions.
Enzo Nagao, Trees Forever Development and Volunteer Coordinator, sees the impact of the grassroots work firsthand. “Educating the public has a greater impact on our mission than almost any other factor. Volunteers amplify the work of our relatively small staff and make it possible to increase the scope and reach of our projects. Most importantly, educated community members take ownership in the planting projects and continue to care for the trees for years to come, providing better outcomes and survival rates,” said Nagao.
Those looking to get involved with Trees Forever educational or volunteer programming can visit TreesForever.org.
About Trees Forever
Trees Forever is a nonprofit charitable organization headquartered in Marion, Iowa. Its mission - to plant and care for trees and the environment by empowering people, building community, and promoting stewardship - is fulfilled through cutting-edge programs and innovative practices. Trained and experienced staff have assisted community leaders and landowners across Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin and beyond with thousands of planting projects. Each year, Trees Forever works with and educates thousands of volunteers and members of the public who give generously of their time and talents. To date, they’ve helped plant more than 3 million trees.
Stateline Region Partner Communities in 2025:
● Dubuque, Iowa
● Shannon, Ill.
● Stockton, Ill.
● Belleville, Wis.
● Beloit, Wis.
