- Categories:
- Fun
- Tags:
- ActivitiesConservationEnvironment
- Where:
- Australia
- Date change rule:
- Last Sunday of July
- Holiday emoji:
- 🌳
National Tree Day unites Australians every last Sunday of July for the nation’s largest community tree-planting event. Volunteer to plant trees, care for local natural environments, and learn about vital conservation efforts. Join the movement to create a greener, healthier planet for future generations.
Want to sponsor National Tree Day? Learn how
Expected National Tree Day Deals
As a significant environmental initiative, National Tree Day focuses on community action and corporate social responsibility rather than commercial deals. Organizations like Planet Ark and their partners often facilitate tree-planting events and educational programs, encouraging donations or volunteer participation. Retailers selling gardening supplies, outdoor gear, or sustainable products might offer special promotions or donation matching programs, directing proceeds to environmental causes. Look for local nurseries and hardware stores to highlight native plant species and offer discounts on planting tools. We will update this page with confirmed live events and partner initiatives as July approaches.
Platform Guide for National Tree Day
Tag @nationaltoday_ and use #NationalTreeDay. Share photos of your tree-planting efforts or local natural beauty.
Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #NationalTreeDay. Share event details, volunteer calls, and educational resources.
X/Twitter
Mention @NatlToday and use #NationalTreeDay. Tweet about the importance of trees and conservation, sharing impactful facts.
National Tree Day Hero
J. Sterling Morton
Trim trees and bushes
Are your hedges looking a little haunted? It’s time for trim. It’s National Tree Day so let’s do some trimming. Use sharp pruners or shears to cut back dead limbs and shape bushes. For bigger trees, get a pole saw or call in a pro. Clear branches from walkways and windows. Neat garden, happy neighbours.
History of National Tree Day
In 1594, the mayor of the Spanish village of Mondoedo hosted the world’s first documented arbor plantation festival. Later, in 1805, a priest named Don Juan Abern Samtrés lived in the community of Villanueva de la Sierra, who recognized the importance of trees for health, cleanliness, decoration, nature, environment, and customs. He decided to plant trees on Carnival Tuesday to make it more joyful, which is now known as Arbor Day.
The celebration began with a Mass and lasted three days. Following the Mass, Samtrés, accompanied by priests, instructors, and a large crowd of neighbors, planted the first tree — a poplar — in the Valley of the Ejido. There was a feast and dancing later. Samtrés wrote a manifesto in defense of trees, which he distributed to nearby towns to foster love and respect for the environment and encourage them to plant trees in their communities.
In 1872, the first American Arbor Day was celebrated in Nebraska. In 1883, Birdsey Northrop of Connecticut visited Japan and delivered his Arbor Day and Village Improvement message, and in the same year, the American Forestry Association made Northrop the Chairman of the committee to campaign for Arbor Day nationwide. He also shared Arbor Day with Australia, Canada, and Europe.
Arbor Day was first celebrated in Australia on June 20, 1889. Many states in Australia have Arbor Day, although Victoria has an Arbor Week, which was suggested by Premier Rupert Hamer in the 1980s. The country decided to take it a step further by establishing National Tree Day in 1996, and since then, the program has seen communities plant almost 26 million trees. In 2019, the Planet Ark Environmental Foundation created “The Seedling Bank” to provide financial support to schools and community groups where seedlings are needed the most.
National Tree Day timeline
It is organized by the mayor of the Spanish village of Mondoñedo.
Don Juan Abern Samtrés, a priest living in the Spanish village of Villanueva de la Sierra, decides to plant trees and celebrate Carnival Tuesday with a three-day festival and suggests neighboring towns do the same.
First celebrated in Nebraska, this tradition spreads throughout the country and later to Japan, Australia, Canada, and Europe.
Many states in Australia celebrate Arbor Day on June 20, although Victoria later has an Arbor Week.
Since then, the program sees communities plant almost 26 million trees.
How Businesses Can Celebrate National Tree Day
Local businesses can actively support National Tree Day by organizing or sponsoring community tree-planting events. Nurseries and garden centers can offer discounts on native trees and provide educational workshops on proper planting and care. Retailers can launch donation-matching campaigns for environmental charities or sell products that contribute a portion of sales to reforestation efforts. Consider hosting a ‘green’ themed day with educational materials about the benefits of trees and sustainable practices.
National Tree Day FAQs
When is National Tree Day?
National Tree Day 2026 falls on Sunday, July 26, uniting Australians in their largest community tree-planting and nature care event.
How many trees are planted on National Tree Day?
Since its inception in 1996, over 27 million trees have been planted by more than 5 million participants on National Tree Day, making a significant environmental impact.
What is the purpose of National Tree Day?
The primary purpose of National Tree Day is to inspire Australians to plant and care for trees, fostering environmental stewardship and educating communities about the importance of nature.
Is National Tree Day celebrated globally?
While National Tree Day is an Australian initiative, many countries observe similar holidays like Arbor Day, which shares the goal of promoting tree planting and environmental conservation worldwide.
National Tree Day Activities
Plant a tree
You can host or join a planting through the official National Tree Day website. If that’s too much trouble, simply gather with some friends and family and select a piece of land in which you can do this on your own.
Donate to the Seedling Bank
To get the seeds and organize the event, donations are as important as having volunteers. Go through the National Tree Day website to learn more and donate.
Clean the environment
It’s not just about planting trees. National Tree Day is also about looking after nature, and you can do this by volunteering through the website, if not, you can take care of this on your own by simply cleaning your local park or green space and putting everything in a recycling bin.
5 Mind-blowing Facts About Trees
Carbon absorption per year
One tree’s carbon absorption per year is equal to the amount a car produces while driving 26,000 miles.
Old trees are more valuable
A mature tree can absorb almost 70 times more carbon than a newly planted tree.
Adult age
A tree becomes mature and able to reach its maximum carbon absorption stage when it’s ten years old.
They help lower air temperature
This happens when the water in their leaves evaporates.
They improve water quality
This is done by slowing and filtering rainwater, as well as protecting aquifers and watersheds.
Why We Love National Tree Day
We love trees
Trees do even more things for us than what we’ve just mentioned. They provide food, shelter, shade, stabilize the soil, prevent erosion, and more. We must give something back to them.
It teaches children about the importance of trees
While this is technically done on School Tree Day, it’s still organized by Planet Ark and commonly seen all as one single event. Kids are the ones we are giving this world to, and they must learn how much trees do for us and how to plant and take care of them.
It’s a day to clean the environment
This isn’t something that benefits just trees, many animals directly suffer the consequences of things like plastic bags or undrinkable water. Eventually, all that comes back to what we eat, drink, and even the air we breathe.
Social Media Tips for National Tree Day
Individuals
Creators
Brands