Join the Million Tree Challenge!

Why Reforest?

Reforestation means planting trees to replace those that have been cut down or destroyed.

The purpose of the Million Tree Challenge reforestation project in Southern California, with Cuyamaca Rancho State Park near San Diego and Chino Hills State Park in San Bernardino County as the primary recipients, is to re-establish patches of landscape with native trees that will allow for progression of reforestation on acreage in the burned areas of the park. The project provides significant wildlife, recreation, climate, and watershed benefits.

A healthy forest helps to insure quality air and water. It absorbs greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. It protects the watershed and provides a habitat for fish and wildlife. Restored coniferous forest habitat in these state parks will provide important protected areas for a wide variety of native mammal and bird species in a region experiencing strong and continuous development pressure. This kind of habitat is critical to forest dwelling species such as the red-breasted sapsucker, red-breasted nuthatch, and golden-crowned kinglet.

In addition, the reforestation work will be monitored and fire risk management will be implemented to protect the project area from future catastrophic fire events.

Please join us in this important effort.