Gift Trees Planting Project – Montana

Project Description

This Gifted Tree Planting Project is in the Custer-Gallatin National Forest, Montana. Encompassing more than three million acres, Custer-Gallatin is known as one of the most ecologically diverse landscapes in the region.

As Gateway to Yellowstone National Park, the National Forest features rugged mountains, including the tallest peak in Montana (Granite Peak), and remote buttes and bluffs. Part of the forest is named after Albert Gallatin, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and scholar of Native American languages and cultures. Within the forest are Native American burial grounds, pictographs and petroglyphs.

While the lower elevations are often covered in grasses, as well as large stands of ponderosa pine, higher altitudes, with more abundant rainfall, support Douglas fir along with several species of spruce, cottonwood and aspen. The habitat supports over 300 wildlife species, including the grizzly and black bear, elk, mule deer, bison, moose, bighorn sheep, cougar, wolf, bald eagle and peregrine falcon.

The Lasting Impact of Your Gift Tree

By planting a tree in memory of or in celebration of someone special, you are not only creating a personal tribute but also making a significant environmental contribution. The benefits of this reforestation project extend far beyond a single tree, including:

• Enhancing Biodiversity: Reforestation rebuilds essential habitats for the birds, mammals, and insects that depend on these forests for food and shelter. Your gift helps bring life back to the landscape, restoring a complex and vibrant ecosystem.
• Fighting Climate Change: As your memorial tree grows, it will absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, storing it within its biomass. Forest fires release vast amounts of stored carbon; replanting helps the landscape once again become a powerful tool in sequestering carbon and mitigating the effects of climate change.
• Stabilizing Soil and Protect Water: The deep root systems of Poderosa Pines are critical for anchoring the soil on steep mountain slopes. This helps prevent erosion and landslides, protecting the quality of nearby rivers and streams that provide water for local communities.
• Building Fire Resilience: Lodgepole Pine forests are naturally adapted to fire. Re-establishing these trees helps restore the natural fire cycle of the landscape, making the ecosystem more resilient to future wildfires and protecting both wildlife and human communities.
• Medicinal Benefits: Provide traditional medicinal uses, such as respiratory support from pine needle tea, and cultural significance for Native American tribes.