This guest post is courtesy of Regan Davis Hopper with the U.S. Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program. Find the full story fs.usda.gov. During my dad’s recent hospital stay, I witnessed the healing power of trees. He was assigned to a room that looked out at a bleak brick wall. Needless to say, he didn’t like it. He quickly grew tired of brick walls and began asking to see trees and get fresh air. He believed that spending…
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Of all the trees you can plant in your yard, fruit trees are some of the most rewarding. Not only do they save you money and trips to the grocery store — but home-grown…
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Biological diversity is essential to the health and wellness of our planet and all the plants, animals, and humans who share it. Ecosystems with higher levels of biodiversity have superior air and water quality,…
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Tree Campus K-12 Urban and Community Forestry
Tree Campus® K–12: Inspiring a passion for trees at Wasatch High School
This year, the Arbor Day Foundation launched an exciting new program nationwide: Tree Campus K–12. The program focuses on engaging elementary, middle, and high school students in nature, and 67 schools were recognized in…
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Community Tree Recovery Urban and Community Forestry
Rooted in Resilience: Recovering from a Derecho
When it comes to the natural beauty of a community, the citizens of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, are a prideful bunch. “I love my neighborhood. It had beautiful trees, lots of shade,” said Alice, a…
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We’re all familiar with the apples readily available in the supermarket and at local orchards this time of year: red delicious, gala, fuji, jonathon. But what about the lesser-known varieties that have — for…
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Replanting Our National Forests Tree City USA Urban and Community Forestry
Reforestation Spotlight: Boise National Forest
Ask anyone who lives there — Boise, Idaho, is a one-of-a-kind place. The city of 235,000 people is an outdoor lover’s dream, with whitewater rafting, hiking, mountain biking, and beautiful forests all within a…
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The best way to spruce up and add life to your yard or landscape is by planting a variety of trees and shrubs. There are many different varieties to choose from. Big or small,…
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Trees and Wellness Urban and Community Forestry
Residential Nature Tied to Hundreds of Dollars of Savings in Healthcare Costs
This is a guest post provided by Matthew Browning, Assistant Professor in the Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management department at Clemson University. Dr. Browning’s research is providing us with insight into how trees can…
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Meet Lauren Marshall, Senior Manager, Program Innovation Lauren Marshall is one of the newest additions to the Arbor Day Foundation team. With experience in both rural and urban forestry, she brings important insights and…
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Bushes and shrubs tie a landscape together. Bushes provide a short hedge or screen, protect wildlife and give areas of your landscape privacy. Shrubs provide beautiful colors in the spring or the fall. Whatever…
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The why, the where, and the what of successful tree planting Trees offer many benefits to homeowners and the communities in which they live, from shade and beauty to privacy, windbreak, and lower energy…
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Restoring Forestlands and Supporting Farmers The largest country in Central America, Nicaragua offers a beautifully diverse landscape. Beaches, volcanoes, forests, and mountains all coexist in a space slightly larger than the state of New…
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The right shade trees can add beauty and cooling shade to your yard. And your choices are vast. Check out some of our favorites from the Arbor Day Foundation’s tree nursery. 1. Quaking Aspen…
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The season of vibrant blooms and sweet scents is almost here. And although the weather might say otherwise in some parts of the country, many people will be starting their spring planting very soon.…
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Trees are an important part of everyday life in cities and towns all over the world. Just ask any urban forester, and they’ll provide you with a long list of all the benefits of…
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Ah, shade. It’s what we all crave from our trees, but it can often take a long time to achieve it. Looking for faster results? Check out these 12 fast-growing shade trees. 1. Quaking…
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Former U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt once compared the world’s forests to being the “lungs of our land” as trees provide us all with clean, breathable air. Renowned conservationist Mark Angelo likens our waterways…
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As cities around the globe continue to expand their commitment to trees and share their experiences, we want to take an opportunity to feature these communities and their important work. The following is an…
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Community Tree Recovery Corporate Partnerships Wildfire Recovery
Helping Regreen Australia — One Tree at a Time
This is a guest post provided by John Stanton, Senior Manager – Regional Operations Australasia, FedEx Express. Thanks to John, we get a local perspective on the devastating fires that raged through Australia…as well…
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Ecosystems around the globe are facing alarming challenges, and trees are one piece of the solution — especially when it comes to supporting keystone species. As the name suggests, keystone species are organisms that…
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Today we celebrate the International Day for Biological Diversity — often simply called Biodiversity Day. The UN established this day as a way of increasing understanding and awareness of issues facing biodiversity around the…
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The Arbor Day Foundation has many partnerships and close relationships that expand our reach and abilities to protect and plant more trees. Our shade-grown coffee program is no exception. Every year, we select and purchase hundreds of thousands of pounds of green coffee…
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Often, the focus of celebrating Arbor Day falls on events organized by communities across the country and around the world. Tree-themed activities, ceremonial tree plantings, giveaways, even parades. But Arbor Day is a holiday…
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When looking at sustainability, it can feel a bit overwhelming deciding where to begin, as there are many ways to work toward your personal and corporate sustainability goals. The United Nations Department of Economic Affairs has established 17 goals for sustainability, all of which…
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Coffee from Seed to Cup Brewing a pot of coffee in the morning is a daily ritual for many people around the world. Whether coffee gets you ready for a busy day or gives you a sense…
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If you are looking for a new at-home coffee brewing method, you have come to the right place. There are many ways to brew coffee outside of the standard automatic coffee maker (which you’re probably a pro at…
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How the Arbor Day Foundation Coffee Program Approaches Sustainability Arbor Day® Coffee is sustainably sourced. But what does “sustainably sourced” mean? In the world of coffee, sustainability is a broad term that may refer to zero-waste packaging, organic farming practices, and paying fair-trade prices for…
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Within the past few years, we’ve started using the phrase coffee agroforestry to better describe the shade-grown coffee process. Since this phrase is still pretty fresh in the mainstream world of coffee and agriculture, let’s look at what it means. The United States…
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How do I know what grind I should use for brewing? Have you ever made French press coffee and struggled to push down the plunger? Have you bought a pour-over brewing device only to…
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It is often assumed that most of our conveniences in life result in being some of the least sustainable actions. And coffee is no exception. It may simply be an accepted norm that conveniences…
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The Farmer Behind Small Batch No. 1 of The Heritage Coffee Series Within the rain forest community of Carrizal, you will find El Naranjo.This 2-acre farm in Honduras is home to Juan de la…
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Farmers have a close connection to the land that has formed through experiences which are often inherited over generations — creating a sense of family identity and tradition. The collective wealth of knowledge and life…
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On Tuesday, the Arbor Day Foundation announced the launch of its Wildfire Restoration Collaborative, a group of partners dedicated to the long-term restoration of forestlands devastated by wildfires. This announcement comes amidst a record-breaking…
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What is “coffee processing” and how does it change the way coffee tastes? Coffee processing is the overall actions or steps that take place from the time the coffee cherries are harvested off…
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A friend asked me, “do dark roast coffees have more caffeine than light roast coffees?” I replied, no. But if you think that dark roasted coffee is stronger in caffeine, you’re mistaken. There are a few more factors that determine how strong coffee is, the biggest one is…
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According to research, two out of every 10 coffee drinkers drink decaffeinated coffee. Decaf coffee sometimes receives a bad rap by coffee purists. Historically, decaf coffee wasn’t given much thought in the coffee industry. Recently however, improvements in the decaffeination process and more attention to select higher grade, raw…
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Guest post from our partners at Land Life Company. The Monarch’s fiery orange and black wing pattern is instantly recognizable and reflected in childhood drawings around the world. This beautiful, large, and iconic species…
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Espresso has become a staple in many of our lives, where it has been introduced into every latte, mocha, and specialty coffee drink that is hand crafted by your local barista. But what is…
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In a previous Arbor Day Coffee blog, we covered a few of the best methods for storing coffee at home to help preserve freshness. But what steps does Arbor Day Coffee take to ensure you are purchasing the…
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When coffee professionals mention they are professional cuppers, context is everything. Although coffee cupping can be considered therapeutic for some, the practice usually involves a professional coffee quality specialist tasked with ensuring the coffee…
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Upcycling is a new term that is used to replace the traditional concept of recycling. The idea specifically refers to when discarded products are given more value. In the case of coffee grounds, they…
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Whether your go-to drink was simply a hot black cup of coffee, espresso, cold nitro-brew, or iced coffee, now is the time to learn some quick and simple solutions for brewing coffee at home. Rather than reinventing the…
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So what’s all the hype around coffee subscriptions, monthly coffee boxes, and coffee of the month clubs? I’ll speak for myself and say that having delicious coffee delivered right to your door is such a fun, convenient, and useful way…
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According to research recently published earlier this year, Brazil’s Southeastern Mountain coffee growing region could see a drastic loss of its viable coffee growing landscapes by the year 2050, due primarily to the rising global temperatures caused by a changing climate. But there is hope, in…
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Before the recent outbreak of COVID-19 began in the United States, I wrote a blog about some of the conditions that scientists have identified as underlying conditions for the devastating toll coffee leaf rust brought in Central America, most recently in…
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In early 2016, the Arbor Day coffee program continued to new coffee growing areas that were making new strides in the specialty coffee industry. Central America has always been a hot spot for specialty coffee production, with the most…
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Clear-cutting forests to make way for agriculture and pastures doesn’t only remove critical forest lands, it removes critical wildlife habitat that depend on the forest for food, shelter, and nesting. Bird Friendly® Certified coffee…
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I don’t know where to begin, so why don’t we begin at the bottom. Let’s talk about the burners in the room, the burners under those glass carafes that keep coffee hot in your coffee brewer at home, office,…
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Working for almost 15 years in the specialty coffee industry, this question comes up quite often. There are several ways to maintain your coffee’s fresh flavors and are usually achieved by simply changing a…
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“There is no silver bullet, only silver buckshot” This is a phrase commonly used when trying to problem solve complicated issues. It not only applies to the approach for solution-based development programs, but it…
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Arbor Day Coffee
Challenges and Opportunities Facing the Adoption of Coffee Agroforestry Systems (PART 2)
The first blog entry reviewing the academic paper published in the August 2019 issue of Current Anthropology titled Coffee Landscapes Shaping the Anthropocene: Forced Simplification on a Complex Agroecological Landscape concluded with the general…
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A Three-Part Blog Series This blog is a review of an academic paper published in the August 2019 issue of Current Anthropology titled Coffee Landscapes Shaping the Anthropocene: Forced Simplification on a Complex Agroecological Landscape. Introducing the…
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Many of the farmers have recognized these abandoned plots of land as an opportunity for growth for coffee agroforestry systems.…
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Have you ever found yourself shopping for your favorite coffee only to learn that the variety isn’t in season? Like other fresh products, coffee has different growing seasons throughout the year. Because of the many…
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What does exceptional quality coffee taste like? There are factors that affect the quality of coffee. Since coffee is an agricultural product, it faces the same challenges as most foods such as spoilage,…
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The topics of carbon emissions and global warming have gained a good deal of attention in recent years, and coffee has an important part to play in the discussion. Greenhouse gases warm the Earth…
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Did you know the Baltimore orioles are responsible for the Arbor Day Coffee program? To be clear, we are talking about the beautiful and colorful bird, icterus galbula, not the team that produced Cal…