Uplifting communities one tree at a time
Planeterra Tree-growing Program
At Planeterra, we are dedicated to making a positive impact on our planet and its people. Our mission with this initiative is simple yet powerful:
“Growing Trees to Uplift Communities”
We firmly believe that by planting the right trees in the right places and for the right reasons, we can help communities build sustainable livelihoods, improve their well-being and become more resilient to the growing impacts of climate change.
Why Trees Matter
Trees are the lungs of our planet, providing us with clean air to breathe. But their importance goes beyond that. Trees play a vital role in restoring our planet, helping us rekindle our relationship with nature and addressing some of the world’s most pressing issues, including climate change, deforestation, and poverty. Here’s how:
Economic Benefits
Tree planting and management create income sources and jobs, especially in rural areas with limited employment opportunities, reducing poverty and elevating living standards.
Job Creation and Income Generation
Planting and growing trees provide local employment opportunities, especially for those skilled in agroforestry, horticulture, and forestry. Additionally, communities can explore income diversification avenues such as selling timber, fruits, nuts, or medicinal plants harvested from their cultivated trees.
Enhanced Environmental Quality
Trees reduce pollution, combat climate change impacts, conserve biodiversity and prevent soil erosion.
Food & Water Security
Trees provide nutrition, especially in food-scarce regions, enhancing the local diet’s quality and diversity through fruit and nut trees. Trees also protect watersheds and enhance water quality by preventing erosion, filtering out pollutants, and providing habitat for animals, resulting in cleaner and healthier water for communities.
Climate Resilience
Growing trees and restoring degraded land build resilient ecosystems, shielding communities from climate change effects like droughts, floods, and soil erosion.
Improved Health
Trees provide clean air, lessen heat and UV radiation effects, and encourage physical activity through recreational opportunities. Additionally, the therapeutic potential and health benefits of medicinal plants can enhance well-being by offering natural remedies for various health conditions, such as pain, inflammation, and immune support.
Increased Resilience
Trees contribute to community resilience against environmental challenges such as droughts, floods, and extreme weather events. They regulate local climates by offering shade, reducing evaporation, and releasing moisture.
Foster connections with nature
Modern society often encourages people to move away from their traditional, nature-centered beliefs and practices, which can diminish the deep-rooted pride that Indigenous communities hold in their connection to the natural world. Supporting communities in tree planting, cultivation, and protection helps rekindle this essential bond with nature, preserving ancestral knowledge and fostering a sense of pride that can be passed down through generations.
Growing trees in Partnership with Industry Leaders
We are proud to partner with organizations dedicated to creating a better future for all, such as G Adventures and Flight Center. They have made a commitment to plant trees every time a traveller purchases one of their services. Meanwhile, Planeterra works closely with our tree-growing partners to ensure your trees receive the care and attention needed to thrive in their new environment.
Also, to monitor the progress and achievements of the program, we collaborate with Reforest.
Meet our Tree-growing Partners
Trees for Kenya
An NGO dedicated to reforestation collaborates with communities, Community Forest Associations, and the Kenya Forest Service to identify degraded lands. They assist farmers in planting diverse trees for benefits including fuelwood, timber, nitrogen balance, soil improvement, fruits, fodder, and agroforestry species, actively engaging schools in tree-planting initiatives.
Project: Mount Kenya Landscape Restoration (Kenya).
Tree Adoption Uganda
Through activities like tree planting and agroforestry, this youth-centric NGO is fostering resilience among smallholder farmers against climate change while empowering unemployed young people in rural communities of Uganda. This is achieved through education and training in establishing and managing indigenous tree nurseries and tree farms.
Project: Nakaseke Community Reforestation (Uganda).
Soa Zara
Soa Zara is an association established in 2016 in Ranohira, located in the Ihorombe region of Madagascar. Its primary objective is to safeguard the environment and advance sustainable development. In addition to biodiversity preservation and reforestation efforts to restore wildlife habitats, the organization offers ecological alternatives to the local population.
Project: Soa Zara Reforestation Project (Madagascar).
Global Forest Generation
GFG’s first initiative, Acción Andina, led by Latin America’s conservation leaders, aims to restore and protect native Polylepis forests in the high Andes, crucial in addressing climate change.
Projects: Acción Serrana: Reforesting Polylepis mountains in Córdoba (Argentina), Restoration of Sierras Grandes de Córdoba (Argentina), Restoring the Biodiversity of the Jujuy Landscape (Argentina), Restoration of Native Vegetation Cover on the Southern Slope of Tunari National Park (Bolivia), Restoration of Polylepis Forests in the Northern slope of Tunari National Park (Bolivia), Ancestral Communities Bringing Back Forests in Vilcanota (Peru), Ancestral communities recover forests in Q’ero (Peru), Reforesting high-Andean cloud forest in Cajamarca (Peru), Reforesting Nor Yauyos Cochas Landscape Reserve (Peru), Restoration of High Altitude Forests in Ccorca (Peru), Restoration of High Andean Cloud Forests in the Challabamba (Peru), Restoring ancient forests in Aquia (Peru).
The High Atlas Foundation
A Moroccan association and a U.S. nonprofit promote organic agriculture, women’s empowerment, youth development, education, and health in Morocco. They produce fruit trees, benefiting livelihoods and environments while fostering partnerships between people, government, and intercultural groups.
Projects: Maskarat Nursery – El Khair Women’s Cooperative (Morocco), Maskarat, Ras El Qasr Commune (Morocco).
Eden Reforestation Projects
Collaborating closely with communities facing extreme poverty to address the devastating effects of deforestation on natural landscapes, Eden Reforestation Projects has employed thousands of local community members, equipping them with the essential knowledge and tools to plant, nurture, and safeguard millions of trees annually until maturity. Presently, the organization’s initiatives result in planting an impressive 15 million trees each month.
Projects: Mahelmudi, Kalikot District (Nepal), Indrawati, Sindhupalchowk District of Bagmati Province (Nepal), La Tigra Agroforestry, Francisco Morazan (Honduras), Ankilahila 1 Mangrove project, Mahamavo River estuary (Madagascar), Zala Titi Reforestation Project, Quelimane District (Mozambique), Tana Delta Mangrove project, Kilelengwani and Ozi villages (Kenya).
AMBA Estate
An organic farm, guesthouse, and social enterprise nestled in the Uva Highlands of Sri Lanka, their mission is to maximize local employment and incomes while preserving and restoring the natural environment. Collaborating closely with the local community, they produce and export a range of artisanal products. Moreover, they offer guests the opportunity to relax and recharge in one of the most beautiful spots in Sri Lanka, surrounded by 130 acres of mountains, waterfalls, caves, forests, and tea fields.
Project: Ambadandegama Reforestation Initiative (Sri Lanka).
Plant With Purpose
For over 35 years, Plant With Purpose has been empowering local organizations and community leaders to create a localized movement among rural communities focused on reforesting and replenishing watersheds around the world. They have successfully planted more than eight million trees each year, approaching a total of 50 million trees. This movement is continuously growing, with farmers, mothers, fathers, youth, and elders actively reforesting the watersheds in their own communities. As these trees are planted, people come to understand the value of trees for their livelihoods and the local environment.
Projects: Community forestry for human rights (Thailand), Reforestation in the Shadow of Mt. Kilimanjaro (Tanzania).
International Collaborative (ICSEE)
ICSEE is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving life in East African communities, particularly the Maasai in Tanzania, through the Maasai Stoves & Solar Project. ICSEE focuses on enhancing rural life and the environment by empowering women and promoting clean cookstoves, local economic development, water, livestock, trees, and solar power.
Project: Mazingira Project (Tanzania).
Restoration Era (ERA)
ERA is dedicated to transforming both livelihoods and the environment. Their mission includes creating sustainable employment opportunities and social enterprises to enhance community well-being. In parallel, ERA focuses on restoring local environments to improve agriculture, water access, and biodiversity. They understand that achieving lasting environmental change starts with addressing the needs of the communities they serve.
Project(s): Blue Amazon Restoration Project (Brazil), Guatemala Mountains to Mangrove Restoration Project (Guatemala).
Veritree / Sea Forests
Veritree connects businesses with verified tree-planting projects to help restore our planet. Their mission is to create local jobs, sequester carbon, and restore ecosystems. By harnessing the power of businesses and individuals, Veritree aims to collectively drive planetary restoration. They serve as a catalyst for change, guiding the transition from an extractive to a restorative economy.
Project: Pacific Coast Kelp Restoration (Canada).
GHE
GHE engages travellers and businesses in building resilient communities through sustainable development and climate-positive travel. GHE pioneers the use of sustainable tourism and technology to create a significant impact on rural communities. Their projects target clean energy, health, education, livelihood, and afforestation, driving positive change across multiple sectors.
Project: Umswai Valley Reforestation Initiative (India).
Tribes & Defenders of Nature
Tribes and Nature Defenders, a non-profit led by Indigenous people in the Philippines, was established by the Tribal Council of Elders. The organization addresses issues such as protecting sacred forests, ensuring food security, and resisting capitalist encroachment. Led by a tribal board and community workers, they focus on development projects that tackle poverty, health, education, livelihoods, and environmental and cultural preservation.
Project: Planting Native Trees: Restore Ancestral Landscape, Retain Culture and Wildlife (Philippines).
Sunder Rang
Sunder Rang supports the women of Chandelao by enhancing their skills and income through education and broader exposure. Their plantation drive focuses on native trees and shrubs suited to Rajasthan’s arid environment, aiming to restore ecosystems and increase carbon storage.
Project: Growing trees, supporting the community of Chandelao (India).
Donate to Make a Difference
Join us on this journey! Your support is crucial to the success of our initiatives. By clicking the “Donate” button below, you are directly helping us in uplifting communities around the world.
