FAQ February 27 2016
Do you have any certifications?
Yes! We are both Green Business Bureau Certified and Green America Certified. The Green Business Bureau is becoming the standard for green business certification and accountability.
Yes! We are both Green Business Bureau Certified and Green America Certified. The Green Business Bureau is becoming the standard for green business certification and accountability.
Green America certifies businesses that are:
• Actively using their company or organization as a tool for positive social change;
• Operating a "values-driven" enterprise according to principles of social justice AND environmental sustainability;
• Environmentally responsible in the way they source, manufacture, and market their products and run their operations and facilities;
• Socially equitable and committed to extraordinary practices that benefit workers, customers, communities, and the environment; and
• Accountable for their work by continually improving and tracking their progress, and operating with transparency in every facet of their business.
All companies with Green America's Green Business Certification must meet Green America's standards for all businesses, and also meet or exceed all required standards in their industry.
A Living Tribute is a Major Partner of American Forests, America's oldest conservation organization, and a Tree Planting Partner of the National Forest Foundation.
What is your card quality?
Our commemorative plant-a-tree cards are printed on high-quality, acid-free, 120 lb. sustainably sourced card stock. This means that your keepsake cards won't yellow or fade with age. The paper is a Green-e Certified product sourced from FSC-Certified forests. We're as thoughtful to the planet as you are to the ones your friends, colleagues and loved ones.
What is your card quality?
Our commemorative plant-a-tree cards are printed on high-quality, acid-free, 120 lb. sustainably sourced card stock. This means that your keepsake cards won't yellow or fade with age. The paper is a Green-e Certified product sourced from FSC-Certified forests. We're as thoughtful to the planet as you are to the ones your friends, colleagues and loved ones.
When will my card be delivered?
Please allow up to 7 working days for card delivery. Orders are processed within 1-2 business days, and mailed via USPS First Class Mail. For a fee of $3.50, you can have your card mailed inside of a tracked envelope and receive delivery confirmation.
Update: We now offer FedEx Home Delivery and Ground at checkout for customers in need of expedited shipping.
I made an error or omission when placing my order, is it too late to fix this?
Not at all! Please send an email to info@alivingtribute.org with your corrections or additions. All orders are reviewed by a human card designer, so if we notice any missing information, we will reach out to you. If we have already mailed out your card, we will send out a corrected copy.
Do you verify the mailing address for my card prior to shipment?
No, please make sure that the mailing address for your card is complete and correct when placing your order. In some cases, customer service might do an online verification of the mailing address, but this is not guaranteed.
My card was not received, can you send a new copy?
If your card is lost in transit by the USPS, accidentally discarded, or not delivered within 7 days for any reason, please contact customer service and we will send out a new card immediately. If your card is returned to us as undeliverable, we will reach out to you to make an address correction (or alternate arrangements).
How secure is your website? Will my information be encrypted?
Yes, A Living Tribute is certified Level 1 PCI DSS compliant. Our checkout includes an SSL certificate that uses industry standard 256-bit encryption technology. This is the same level of encryption used by large banks to keep your information secure. We are well known to comply with the highest level of PCI (Payment Card Industry) standards. For additional information on PCI Compliance, visit the PCI Compliance Guide website.
Will anyone at your organization have access to my credit card information?
No. We use secure payment gateways to process all of your orders.
Do you accept custom orders?
Yes we do! Our custom shop is available Monday-Friday to help you with custom orders such as:
- Company gifts and recognition
- Ordering non-personalized plant-a-tree cards in bulk
- Ordering plant-a-tree cards in bulk for special events
- Adding a company logo or your own photograph to the cards
- Sending plant-a-tree holiday cards to multiple addresses
Please email us at sales@alivingtribute.org to get started on your order.
Where are you planting trees?
Primarily on US National Forests in need of restoration. We can also have your living tribute planted in communities and state forests that have lost trees to due to natural disasters, on select wildlife and nature preserves, and in Canada.
Planting trees through over 20 forestry and conservation non-profits in North America, we are proud to offer you more tree planting locations and options than any other memorial tree company or organization.
How often is your website updated?
We update our list of partners and tree planting locations approximately twice a year, typically in the summer and winter. The best way to find out about new tree planting gifts and planting locations is to follow us on social media.
Where will my tree be planted?
In a US National Forest in need of reforestation. Our tree planting partners focus on forests in areas such as the Lower Rio Grande Valley, the Northern Rockies and Cascades, the Sierra Nevada and Southern California Ranges, and the Ozarks and Appalachians.
If you are planting a tree for US community tree recovery, please note the state forest or community that you want to receive the tree planting in the Preferred Forest field. If you are planting a tree in Canada, please note the province or region that you want to receive the tree planting.
When will my tree be planted?
The trees are planted at the optimal planting time for each forest; this is generally the following spring (April-May) from when the order is placed. In some areas of the country, seedlings are planted in the fall and winter months (November-January).
Who physically plants the tree seedlings?
In most cases, your trees are planted by contracted professional tree planters under the supervision of the Forest Service and/or our non-profit tree planting partners. Some of the state and community level tree planting projects that we sponsor will also utilize volunteers and members of the public.
Why plant a tree for someone as a gift?
Your tree gift will help to restore treasured National Forests and our environment for future generations. There is currently a backlog of over 1 million acres of National Forest land in need of replanting. You will be helping to reforest areas that have been damaged by wildfire, pests, disease, deforestation, natural disasters and more. For a few dollars more than a traditional greeting card, you can send a sustainably sourced, FSC-Certified card that plants a new tree in someone's honor.
Can I visit my tree or grove after it has been planted?
We plant our trees through large-scale reforestation projects with many sponsors and contributors. The exact location of individual tree plantings is not tracked for us, due to the time and resources that this would require of our planting partners.
We plant our trees through large-scale reforestation projects with many sponsors and contributors. The exact location of individual tree plantings is not tracked for us, due to the time and resources that this would require of our planting partners.
Update: We are currently experimenting sponsoring smaller scale, state forest and community level reforestation projects. Starting in 2018, GPS coordinates will be available for customers that plant their memorial tree in select locations:
Are the tree plantings marked?
No, your tribute trees will be planted in a natural setting within the forest, without any signs, plaques or markers. Some of the National Forests in California and Minnesota do place markers within the general area of select memorial tree plantations:
Do you retain proof or record of my tree planting?
Yes, our tree planting partners and/or the Forest Service provide us with receipts and documentation (either digital or hard copy) for all of our tree plantings.
Yes, our tree planting partners and/or the Forest Service provide us with receipts and documentation (either digital or hard copy) for all of our tree plantings.
Will my trees receive any care after they are planted?
Yes, typically a plantation of new trees will be surveyed, maintained (i.e. watering and mulching, as needed) and protected for a period of 3-5 years after planting.
Yes, typically a plantation of new trees will be surveyed, maintained (i.e. watering and mulching, as needed) and protected for a period of 3-5 years after planting.
Who do I contact to place bulk/custom orders, or if I have questions about becoming a business customer?
Please send an email to sales@alivingtribute.org and we will reach out to you as soon as possible.
What are the advantages of being a business customer?
Instead of having to place multiple orders through our online store, you can email us a single completed order form, and we will send you a digital invoice for payment. You can also have us design a custom plant-a-tree card for your company or business, and order the cards in lots of 10 or more.
I represent a 501(c)(3) conservation organization, how can we become a tree planting partner?
Please send an email to bp@forestfriends.us with your contact information, and as much information as possible about your upcoming tree planting initiatives. We are only working with organizations that are planting trees in the US and Canada at this time.
Can I plant a memorial tree in a location of my choosing?
Unfortunately, we cannot plant a tree just anywhere - we plant all of our trees through ongoing reforestation projects, so the planting locations are determined by our tree planting partners.
Unfortunately, we cannot plant a tree just anywhere - we plant all of our trees through ongoing reforestation projects, so the planting locations are determined by our tree planting partners.
Is my tree planting gift tax deductible?
No, it is considered a memorial gift purchase (no "goods or services" can be provided for 501(c)(3) or tax exempt status).
No, it is considered a memorial gift purchase (no "goods or services" can be provided for 501(c)(3) or tax exempt status).
Do you offer e-certificates in lieu of a physical card?
Yes, we are now offering custom e-certificates for purchase through our online store, so that you can plant trees for friends and family without a mailing address. This gift option is also ideal for customers that need expedited delivery, or want to plant trees as gifts for large groups of people. Since we allow you to personalize your e-certificate, turnaround time is 24-72 hours for email delivery (orders are processed Monday-Friday).
Yes, we are now offering custom e-certificates for purchase through our online store, so that you can plant trees for friends and family without a mailing address. This gift option is also ideal for customers that need expedited delivery, or want to plant trees as gifts for large groups of people. Since we allow you to personalize your e-certificate, turnaround time is 24-72 hours for email delivery (orders are processed Monday-Friday).
Where will my commemorative card(s) be mailed from?
Our cards are printed and mailed from printing facilities in Wisconsin, Rochester, NY, Seattle, WA, Scottsdale, AZ and Canada (for our Canadian customers).
Our cards are printed and mailed from printing facilities in Wisconsin, Rochester, NY, Seattle, WA, Scottsdale, AZ and Canada (for our Canadian customers).
Does A Living Tribute offset the carbon emissions from its order deliveries?
Yes we do! We are currently participating in the Offset program, as a last resort to compensate for emissions we can’t currently avoid (the mailing of a commemorative card). Our carbon offset contributions are currently funding the Jarí Para Forest Conservation Project in the Amazon Rainforest.
Yes we do! We are currently participating in the Offset program, as a last resort to compensate for emissions we can’t currently avoid (the mailing of a commemorative card). Our carbon offset contributions are currently funding the Jarí Para Forest Conservation Project in the Amazon Rainforest.
Will there be a delay in my card's delivery due to the impact of COVID-19?
Below is the USPS' latest update (4/17/20) on expected delivery delays:
Below is the USPS' latest update (4/17/20) on expected delivery delays:
January 2021 update: Due to COVID-19 and the volume of mail this season, we have been advised to expect delays in USPS processing times and First Class Mail deliveries.