# ReLeaf Michigan

> Michigan's statewide volunteer tree-planting nonprofit, planting on public land with communities since 1988

Source: https://treerm.org/org/releaf-michigan · Updated 2026-11-08 · Data license: CC BY 4.0 (https://treerm.org/about#license)

## Facts

- Type: Nonprofit
- Scope: Regional
- Headquarters: Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
- Founded: 1988
- Website: https://www.releafmichigan.org
- Volunteer sign-up: https://www.releafmichigan.org/volunteer/
- Donate: https://www.releafmichigan.org/support/
- Events calendar: https://www.releafmichigan.org/events/
- Countries where they plant: United States
- Activity types: Urban forestry (primary), Education & advocacy
- Trees on record: 35,000 (larger of latest cumulative figure and sum of annual figures; trees planted or distributed)

## About

ReLeaf Michigan is a volunteer-based 501(c)(3) and Michigan's only statewide tree-planting nonprofit. It partners with cities, townships, schools and community groups to plant large caliper trees (roughly six to ten feet tall) on public property, with each community signing a three-year maintenance agreement, and runs a fall and spring season of Saturday volunteer plantings across the state. It also delivers tree education workshops, stormwater planting projects and the biennial Michigan Big Tree Hunt, and reports more than 35,000 trees planted in over 815 communities since 1988.

## Programs

- **Community Tree Plantings** — Urban forestry (1988–present): Groups and municipalities apply for a volunteer planting of caliper trees on public property; ReLeaf selects species with the community, sources and delivers the trees, trains volunteers and secures a three-year maintenance agreement. https://www.releafmichigan.org/tree-planting-application/
- **Tree Education Workshops** — Education & advocacy: Presentations, webinars and workshops on selecting, planting and maintaining trees and the value of the urban canopy, plus seedling distribution to students. https://www.releafmichigan.org/tree-education-workshops/
- **Michigan Big Tree Hunt** — Education & advocacy: Biennial statewide contest (17th cycle runs Aug 2026 to Aug 2028) in which residents find and measure large trees; winners by county, age group and species, with potential state champions verified in the field. https://www.releafmichigan.org/big-tree-hunt/
- **Stormwater Projects** — Urban forestry: Tree plantings designed to capture stormwater runoff in Michigan communities. https://www.releafmichigan.org/stormwater-projects/

## Metrics

> Note: ReLeaf Michigan publishes only cumulative totals: about 33,500 trees and 700+ communities in July 2025 and 35,000+ trees in 815+ communities on its website in November 2026. Its Form 990 for 2024 describes the planting program without tree counts, so no single-year planting figure is available.

| Metric | Year | Value | Cumulative | Program | Confidence | Source |
|---|---|---:|---|---|---|---|
| Funds raised (USD) | 2024 | 266,223 | no (that year) | organization-wide | Self-reported | [source](https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/382912028) IRS Form 990 for calendar year 2024 via ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer: total revenue $266,223 (program service expenses $272,671) |
| Trees planted | 2025 | 33,500 | yes (to date) | organization-wide | Self-reported | [source](https://www.enbridge.com/stories/2025/july/releaf-michigan-growing-tree-canopy-planting-trees-on-public-land) Enbridge story, July 3 2025, quoting the organization: 'planted about 33,500 trees' statewide on public land and 'worked with more than 700 communities' since 1988 |
| Trees planted | 2026 | 35,000 | yes (to date) | organization-wide | Self-reported | [source](https://www.releafmichigan.org/) Homepage (accessed Nov 2026): 'Since 1988, ReLeaf Michigan has planted over 35,000 trees on public land with more than 815 communities'; counter widget value 35000+ |

Confidence: self-reported is the organization's own published figure; independently verified means a third party confirmed it; estimated means TreeRM derived it and the note says how.

## Upcoming events

- 2026-11-10 — Tree Planting in Chesterfield Twp. (Volunteer planting), Chesterfield Township — register: https://www.releafmichigan.org/rsvp/ — https://treerm.org/events/releaf-michigan/tree-planting-in-chesterfield-twp-2026-11-10.md

## Links

- x: https://twitter.com/releafmichigan
- instagram: https://www.instagram.com/releaf_mi/
- facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReLeafMi
- linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/releaf-michigan
- youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@releafmichigan401

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