Pledges: Tree Planting

Our work so far:

In the last year we have planted over 200,000 mangrove trees. That amounts to 2.5m kg of CO2 being removed from the atmosphere! This is a huge achievement and we are super proud of what your orders have helped us achieve.

Why is tree planting so important?

In the fight against climate change, trees are an exceptional resource. While fossil fuels emit planet-warming carbon when we burn them, trees absorb carbon to grow. They store that carbon inside themselves, in their trunk, roots, and surrounding soil, in a process known as carbon sequestration. In return, they release oxygen, the very molecule we need to breathe.

In addition to mitigating climate change, forests also have other crucial functions for Earth’s biosphere. They are habitats for the vast majority of Earth’s species of plants and animals. Forests also have huge roles in water provision, soil protection and climate regulation.

Mangroves are small trees that grow in the salty coastal waters of over 100 countries. Mangrove forests are essential ecosystems whose dense roots serve as an anchor for the soil and coastline, preventing erosion and creating a barrier between harsh ocean systems and land. They store four times as much carbon as even tropical rainforest, making them an important tool to mitigate climate change.

Our charity partner is Eden Reforestation Projects:

Eden Reforestation Projects reduces extreme poverty and restores healthy forests by employing local villagers to plant millions of trees every year.

Eden takes a holistic approach to reforestation and ecological restoration. They partner with villages committed to restoring their forest, and then hire and train locals to plant new trees. The reforestation provides the villagers with consistent income that helps them provide for their families. The villagers protect their new forests because they have a vested interest in them, and as a result, the seedling survival rate is an astounding 80%. When natural generation is factored in, the rate is even higher. Only native trees are ever planted.

Trees pledged through Healthy Supplies and our partner Verdn are planted in either Madagascar, Mozambique or Kenya. To begin with, we are exclusively planting mangrove trees along coastal ecosystems.

Eden’s tree planting sites

Madagascar

Madagascar is an island off the East coast of Africa. In fact, it’s the 4th largest island in the world. Due to its isolated geography, the nation has over 200,000 species of plants and animals that don’t exist anywhere else in the world. However, much of this biodiversity is under threat. Due to rampant deforestation, it is estimated that at least 50% of Madagascar’s original forests have been destroyed. The vanishing forests have displaced entire animal species, and robbed the ability for many Malagasies to farm and live on the land. Additionally, entire mangrove estuaries are gone, leaving the bare earth to wash away into the sea.

Eden Reforestation Projects launched operations in Madagascar in 2007 with a project restoring ecologically devastated mangrove estuaries in the northwest of the country. In 2012, Eden’s operations expanded to include a variety of native dry deciduous tree species. Eden has planted over 300 million trees in Madagascar to date.

Mozambique

Mozambique is a country located on the eastern coast of Africa. It's home to 20 globally threatened bird species, and over 200 endemic mammal species. With 68% of its population living rurally, and 45% living beneath the poverty line, the Mozambique people rely heavily on the country’s natural resources and forests for survival.

Historically home to vast mangrove estuaries and forests, Mozambique’s mangroves have been largely destroyed. Eden Reforestation Projects is working with local communities and villagers to restore, replant and protect these precious forest systems. To date, Eden has planted 7,500,000 trees in Mozambique.

Kenya

Kenya is a country located on the eastern coast of Africa. Along with its population of over 50 million, it’s also home to wildlife such as lions, elephants and rhinos. However, Kenya faces high rates of deforestation that threaten both its flora and fauna. It is estimated that the country has lost 40% of its forests since achieving independence in 1963, and that 12,000 hectares are still lost annually.

In partnership with Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, a local organisation, Eden has established a project in Kenya that will improve mangrove and coastal forest habitats. Eden is operating in Lamu County, an area with few opportunities for long-term employment, and high levels of poverty. Eden’s tree nursery will provide employment, in addition to restoring key habitats that support livelihoods and cultural heritage. So far, over 500,000 trees have been planted.