The state marked a major milestone by planting 1.5 million of its 5 million tree-planting goal.
Maryland’s 5 Million Trees program has reached more than 1.5 million native trees planted, marking a major milestone and reflecting strong momentum toward reaching the state’s ambitious goal of planting 5 million trees by 2031.
More than 555,330 trees were planted in Fiscal Year 2025, according to a new annual report prepared for the Maryland General Assembly. Plantings done by organizations and individuals other than the state were more than 5 times higher than the year before, as many more Marylanders reported their tree plantings on the website.
Trees are a powerful tool to address climate change. They store carbon, cool neighborhoods, protect waterways, and improve air quality, making them an essential part of the state’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build climate resilience. The initiative is a partnership among the Maryland Departments of the Environment, Natural Resources, Transportation, and Agriculture, the Chesapeake Bay Trust, and other nonprofit organizations.
Progress in Fiscal Year 2025 includes:
- More than 366,000 trees were planted by the Department of Natural Resources through the John S. Ayton State Tree Nursery and the Tree-Mendous Maryland program.
- Tree plantings led by private landowners, companies, municipalities, communities, and other non‑state entities grew more than five times from 8,365 in FY24 to 43,169 this year in FY25 thanks in part to a new advertising campaign.
- Planting events were held all around the state with community partners, including Waterford Lake Park in Anne Arundel County, Carroll Park and Druid Hill Park in Baltimore City, Salisbury Branch in Wicomico County, and Thomas Stone High School in Charles County. The largest planting of the initiative so far occurred this year at Browns Branch Wildlife Management Area in Queen Anne’s County, where about 200,000 trees were planted
