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From Humble Beginnings to Global Impact
One Tree Planted is proud to share that in our 9th year, we have reached the incredible milestone of 100 Million Trees planted. Together with our global network of planting partners (854 and growing!), we planted these trees through 724 impactful projects, 1,035 planting events, and 140 Urban Forestry projects in 79 countries around the world.
When Matt Hill founded One Tree Planted in 2014, it was important to him to provide a simple way for anyone to help the environment by planting trees. As a father and nature-lover, he wanted to make sure that future generations would be able to enjoy the great outdoors. In One Tree Planted’s first full year, we planted just 50,000 trees, but from those humble roots, the organization has grown into a global force for good.
Speaking of roots, over the years, the team has grown from a one man show, into a global network of 100+ employees. And while today is all about celebrating an incredible milestone of 100 Million trees planted since 2014, it’s the individual stories, the years-long partnerships that, when the days are long and the challenges many, reinforce the power of our simple mission.
Planting Trees, Growing Change
From the simple action of planting trees grows complex benefits that reverberate across landscapes, creating profound and long-lasting benefits for nature and communities. As these 100,000,000 trees grow into maturity, they are restoring ecosystems that have been degraded by human and climate change impacts, supporting and healing communities with lasting social and economic benefits, providing habitat for threatened and endangered species, capturing carbon, and more.
Every planting project has its own unique challenges and impacts, but what holds true no matter where you go is that when done correctly, reforestation changes lives for the better. From restoring ecosystems that have been ravaged by wildfires to stabilizing riparian areas and protecting watersheds that provide drinking water for millions, our projects are making a powerful impact for nature and people around the world.
6 Keystone Reforestation Projects That Helped Us Plant 100 Million Trees
1. Fruit Trees Change Lives: Reforestation Across India To Reduce Hunger In Rural Farming Communities
In India, we work with a long-standing partner to plant life-changing fruit trees. As these trees grow, they are helping to alleviate hunger and poverty while fighting pollution and climate change across rural India. To accomplish this, our partners have planted a diverse mix of fruit tree species, including guava, key lime, pomegranate, custard apple, jackfruit and more.
When intercropped with seasonal vegetables, a grove of 100 fruit trees provides nutritional meals and sustainable income to a family of 4, helping to reduce migration into urban areas. Special emphasis is given to employing people from marginalized groups such as widowed and elderly women.
In addition to providing social benefits, the trees planted will grow food and shelter for insects, bees, small animals, and birds. Biodiversity will also benefit from improved watershed health thanks to improved water absorption (and therefore, reduced runoff) during rain events. This will help keep area rivers clean by stabilizing soils and filtering stormwater.
2. Restoring High-Altitude Forests Across the Andes Mountains
High above the Amazon basin, shrouded in mist and nestled amongst the slopes of the longest mountain chain in the world, lives a community of gnarled, majestic trees: the High Andes Polylepis forest. These high-altitude forests are important for capturing water-borne moisture, but many have historically been cleared for agriculture and fuelwood.
These high-altitude forests are important for capturing water-borne moisture, but many have historically been cleared for agriculture and fuelwood.
With glaciers melting due to climate change — and few trees to retain the excess water in the landscape — water from melting glaciers is eroding soil that was once held in place by trees. This degrades the topsoil and creates increasingly dry conditions, amplifying wildfire risk throughout the entire watershed — including the Amazon Rainforest.
One Tree Planted is partnered with Global Forest Generation to support Accion Andina, the first multi-country, large-scale, grassroots initiative to restore the high altitude native forests of South America’s high Andes.
3. Planting Trees Across British Columbia For Forest Fire Recovery
In 2017, forest fires swept through British Columbia, destroying one million hectares of land and tens of millions of trees. One Tree Planted is planting 1 million trees in BC to help the land and forests recover.
Although Canada is the third most forested country, containing more trees than every other country, bar Russia and Brazil, it is also one of the world’s largest timber producers. Planting trees is essential to ensure that forest cover is restored to parts of Canada where wood is being harvested for timber.
Planting trees is one of the best ways to restore lands that have experienced high-intensity fires. When forest fires are relatively small, nature doesn’t require intervention because seeds in the soil and natural regeneration from surrounding healthy trees will restock the ecosystem with new emerging seedlings. But when burn scars are severe, or when the closest healthy trees are too far away to spread seeds via natural processes, planting trees can help to catalyze the natural process so that native forests can grow again.
Planting trees in BC is particularly important as it is home to a range of unique biospheres and old-growth forest, including the world’s largest temperate rainforest.
4. Orca, Salmon, And Trees: Planting Trees For The Southern Resident Orca
Southern Resident orcas, often referred to as killer whales, are an icon of the Pacific Northwest. Swimming the waters off the coast of North America from California to British Columbia, the black and white whales are one of the most recognizable and beloved marine animals in the world. Sadly, there are only 75 Southern Resident orcas remaining, which makes them an endangered species — and they are starving.
Experts estimate that over 700 chinook salmon are required to feed the entire Southern Resident orca population every single day. This endangered species relies on chinook salmon for up to 80% of their diet.
Human interference, including fish hatcheries, dams, dykes and levees, logging, overfishing, pollution, and highway construction, are all impeding the salmon’s ability to spawn and survive.
Thankfully, ongoing efforts involving One Tree Planted and Promise the Pod are drawing the connection between restoring the forests of the Pacific Northwest and helping the orcas.
By planting trees within riparian areas across the Pacific Northwest, we are restoring habitat for the chinook salmon, a critical food source of the endangered Southern Resident Orca.
5. Restoring Forest Landscapes And Revitalizing Economies For Lasting Impact Across Africa Through Through Terrafund For AFR100
Through TerraFund for AFR100, we are supporting AFR100 in its critical work of restoring landscapes across Africa through over 100 inspiring projects.
While TerraFund for AFR100 encompasses a number of projects across the diverse continent of Africa, each one has a unique story to tell. Together, they form an incredible mosaic of action that will transform lives and improve landscape connectivity, allowing biodiversity to take up space, migrate, and thrive again.
Participating as tree planters, nursery technicians, and monitoring specialists will allow individuals to develop new skills and improve their lives. From planting trees to growing economic security — which makes it possible to send kids to school, build homes, and strengthen communities — TerraFund for AFR100’s projects are creating profound, intergenerational ripple effects that will transform Africa forever.
6. Planting Trees Across Australia As Part Of Astrazenecas Az Forest
As part of a collaboration between AstraZeneca’s global AZ Forest program, One Tree Planted, and the Global Evergreening Alliance’s Restore Australia program, local partner Greening Australia is working to plant a total of 25 million trees in priority locations across Australia by 2025.
When completed, the project will cover approximately 20,000 hectares of land, equivalent to one-quarter of the city of Canberra in size, and create habitat for dozens of endangered species. Establishing 25 million trees will sequester approximately 4.25 million tonnes of carbon dioxide over a 25-year crediting period, equivalent to the emissions produced by 920,000 cars running for an entire year.
The establishment of 25 million biodiverse and locally appropriate trees in locations that support threatened species and habitat connectivity represents a commitment by all partners to support Australia’s recovery following the devastation of the Black Summer bushfires.
Help Us Plant the Next 100 Million Trees!
We are so proud of all that we have accomplished, together with our reforestation and business partners, since our humble beginnings in 2014. In the face of the climate crisis, which can feel overwhelming, planting a tree is a simple action that anyone can take — and it is a powerful demonstration of hope in action. There is much work still to be done, but here at One Tree Planted, we believe that the future is bright — and green. Now onto the next tree!