This weekend, thousands of local families will enjoy the new animated movie The Lorax, about the furry Dr. Seuss creature who speaks for the trees. What they may not realize is that there are real-life Loraxes right here in California.
California ReLeaf speaks for the trees every single day. We are dedicated to providing resources for planting and protecting trees in California—helping to preserve and grow the forest where we live. California ReLeaf supports a Network of organizations throughout California, all with the common goal of growing great communities by planting and caring for our trees.
In the new movie The Lorax, all the Trufulla trees are gone. The forests have been destroyed, and young people dream of seeing a “real” tree. In the movie, neighborhood streets are lined with man-made, artificial approximations of trees. Believe it or not, this vision isn’t as far from reality as you may think. The truth is that deforestation is happening not just in vast forests like the Amazon, but right here in American cities and towns.
A new report from the US Forest Service shows that our cities are losing 4 million trees each year. In communities across the country, this loss of canopy cover means Americans are losing out on the enormous benefits of healthy urban forests. Trees in cities help clean our air, reduce our energy use, manage stormwater overflow and mitigate water pollution. They keep us healthy and cool, while also keeping our neighborhoods green and beautiful.
The Lorax reminds all of us that humans and nature are inextricably intertwined, and that trees are essential for strong communities. We can’t just stand by—like the Lorax, we must do what we can to keep nature a part of our lives.
California ReLeaf is a member of the national Alliance for Community Trees, and our programs promote the trees here in California. Support us and become a real-life Lorax. Together, we can make our city cleaner, greener, and healthier.