Millions of Americans across cities from San Francisco to Miami joined in marking World Rainforest Day on Sunday, June 22, 2025. First established in 2017 by the Austin-based nonprofit Rainforest Partnership, this annual observance spotlights the essential functions of tropical rainforests—from carbon storage to biodiversity preservation—and mobilizes communities globally.
In the U.S., numerous eco‑focused organizations, including Rainforest Trust and a range of grassroots groups, orchestrated tree‑planting events in public parks, schoolyards, and botanical gardens. In Portland, volunteers, in partnership with the city’s urban forestry division, planted dozens of native saplings to rehabilitate degraded landscapes. Meanwhile, in Atlanta, community members came together to plant and “adopt” 150 young trees aimed at restoring tree cover in underserved neighborhoods.
These hands‑on, local activities were often preceded by guided workshops where participants learned about rainforest ecosystems—examining their layered structures, rich biodiversity, and role in regulating global climate. Many events featured an intergenerational and interfaith component, with parents, grandparents, children, and faith communities working side by side, turning planting circles into opportunities for shared learning and community building.
A powerful moment on June 22 was the virtual “Planet Walkers” global livestream organized by Rainforest Partnership. People from around the world walked through forests—from the Amazon and Southeast Asia to the U.S. Pacific Northwest—broadcast via social media as a collective call, “Breathe with the Forest.” Indigenous leaders, forest rangers, scientists, and cultural storytellers guided each live segment, weaving in multisensory experiences to emphasize the interconnectedness of all forests. The campaign had ambitious goals: one million walkers worldwide, 100 million social impressions, and real-time fundraising through acre‑pledging donations.
Backyard and neighborhood plantings across the country echoed this broader campaign. Many participants posted photos with the hashtag #RainforestRoots, dubbing their plantings as “local roots for a global cause.” Organizers characterized the effort as a “symbol of local action with global impact,” demonstrating how individual steps—literally and figuratively—can contribute to planetary-scale environmental goals.
Experts note the symbolic and ecological value of these events is profound. Tropical rainforests, while covering less than 6 percent of Earth’s land area, harbor more than half the world’s species and serve as critical carbon sinks. Protecting and regenerating them is vital to stabilizing the climate. In fact, deforestation accounts for roughly 15 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions—more than the emissions from cars in both the U.S. and China combined. Moreover, rainforest biodiversity supplies countless medicinal compounds; around 25 percent of modern pharmaceuticals trace their origins to rainforest‑derived plants.
Local municipal officials praised the June 22 events as tangible demonstrations of climate stewardship and community solidarity. Portland’s urban forestry coordinator described it as “people taking climate action with shovels, gloves and saplings.” In Atlanta, city council members emphasized the ongoing engagement tied to these efforts, including adopting trees and monitoring their growth—turning a single day of activity into a year‑round conservation practice.
Social media buzz around #PlanetWalkers and #RainforestRoots helped amplify the message beyond physical planting sites. Organizers reported that digital engagement complemented on‑the‑ground activity: a synergy of action and awareness. A toolkit released on the official World Rainforest Day site provided graphics, captions, and instructions to coordinate local events and virtual participation simultaneously.
World Rainforest Day also serves as a platform to spotlight policy and corporate responsibility. Rainforest Partnership urged participants to engage with local and federal leaders to support initiatives such as the Tropical Forest and Coral Reef Conservation Act, forest-friendly agricultural guidelines, and increased funding for international land preservation efforts. Corporate sponsors leveraged the campaign to promote their own sustainability investments within Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) frameworks—a trend intensifying within the private sector .
The Day’s significance in 2025 is heightened by increasing concern over tropical forest loss. Large-scale deforestation in the Amazon, Congo Basin, and Southeast Asia continues at alarming rates, driven by agriculture, mining, and logging. Across the globe, an estimated 78 million hectares of rainforest are lost annually—triggering biodiversity decline, carbon release, and disrupted rainfall cycles. Yet World Rainforest Day offers a moment to reframe the crisis through community-level solutions—tree planting, education, policy engagement, and public awareness.
In closing, the nationwide U.S. participation in World Rainforest Day on June 22, 2025, demonstrates a growing public commitment to climate action through communal, nature-rooted initiatives. Whether planting native saplings in urban centers, joining global livestream forest walks, or amplifying the message online, millions of Americans united under a shared belief: global ecological challenges begin at our own backyards. As organizers aptly summarized: “From local roots grow global impact.”
