New York’s New Year’s resolution is to plant more trees, but in 2025, the 25 Million Trees Initiative Tree Tracker saw some pretty green stats.
• Top Tree Planters: New York’s family forest owners (private landowners) tracked 87,000 trees planted in the Tree Tracker in 2025.
• Top Tree Species: Red maple was the #1 species in the Tracker since the tool’s launch last winter. Sugar maple, river birch, and crabapple were the next most popular.
• Top Tracking Region: New York’s Southern Tier Region tracked the most trees toward the 25 Million Trees goal, with more than 131,000 trees planted. The Mohawk Valley (52K) and New York City (43K) Regions were close behind.
• Top Resilience Booster: Nearly 30% of all trees tracked were planted in disadvantaged communities across New York, who often bear the brunt of environmental burdens. Those tens of thousands of planted trees will help make New York’s neighborhoods more resilient to climate change and other environmental stressors.
We are looking to make 2026 even greener. If you planted a tree in 2025, it’s not too late to make sure your tree counts toward reaching New York’s 25 million trees goal. Every tree counts! Record your planting on the DEC website.
