A new memorial effort is putting roots in the ground across the country. Called Together We Grow, the initiative aims to plant 3,000 trees across the United States in honor of each life lost on 9/11, with the first tree already planted at a 9/11 memorial in New York City.
Here's what to know
On Thursday, an Instagram post from Good Good Good News (@goodgoodgoodco) outlined the new campaign from 9/11 Day and One Tree Planted as the nation approaches 25 years since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
The project links remembrance with service by turning tree planting into a lasting public tribute.
The post said the effort is "planting 3,000 trees across the United States to honor each of the lives lost 25 years ago on 9/11," starting with a September 11 memorial in Battery Park.
The post also tied the initiative to "1 million related acts of service," suggesting the tree-planting effort is part of a much larger push for community participation.
More background
Unlike a one-day ceremony, trees remain in place for years, growing alongside the communities that plant and care for them.
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They can help cool neighborhoods, provide shade, support cleaner air, and make parks, memorials, and public spaces more welcoming.
As Good Good Good further detailed, a press release about the event said it was an opportunity for participants to "reflect on the resilience and survival that have defined New York in the years since 9/11," and thus "remember, connect, and leave something good behind."
What's being done?
Its first tree went into the ground at a 9/11 memorial in New York City. From there, the plan extends nationwide. The effort will depend not only on planting but on continued care.
Good Good Good reported that One Tree Planted, AmeriCorps, and 9/11 Day will support the communities engaged in the project in the coming months.
Keeping young trees healthy can turn a symbolic gesture into a lasting legacy — one that serves neighbors, strengthens shared spaces, and carries the memory forward for future generations.
As the president of One Tree Planted said, "A tree is a simple but powerful symbol of that remembrance. It gives us a chance to honor the past while doing something good for the future. Together We Grow is about coming together, caring for a place we share, and creating something living that can continue to grow for generations."
Where can I learn more?
Tree planting and land care can look very different from one community to the next, from memorial efforts like Together We Grow to restoration and conservation work elsewhere. Here are a few examples of where people are using trees, forests, and public action to leave a lasting mark.
• In northeast England, thousands of volunteers gather to plant trees as new woodlands take shape.
• In the Andes, biologist Constantino Aucca Chutas spent 30 years planting millions of high-altitude trees.
• In Cameroon, conservation leader Ernestine Leikeki is transforming endangered forests into havens for local communities.
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