Our fifth annual Plant a Tree Day fell on Wednesday, September 28th, but planting took place through 104 events throughout the fall planting season. Now that most of the events have wrapped up, we’re proud to share everything that our partners and volunteers have accomplished through Plant a Tree Day 2022! A special thank you to our Plant a Tree Day 2022 sponsors, Kyndryl and YACHAK. We couldn’t have done it without you!
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2022 plant a tree day highlights
From Tanzania to Thailand, Colombia to the United States, in community parks and watersheds big and small, everyday people just like you came together to improve their local environments. Any time we get local communities together to plant trees, it’s bound to be memorable, but each year we’re inspired anew. From the dedication showed by our partners and volunteers to the scale of what we’re able to accomplish together and the spirit of camaraderie that, without fail, imbues each event, Plant a Tree Day is a reaffirmation of why we do what we do.
Tanzania, Dodoma Region
807 volunteers (107 adults and 700 youth) worked together to plant 2,000 native trees at 5 schools (3 primary, 2 secondary) in the Msalato ward in Tanzania’s Dodoma region. A mix of forest and fruit species that included Trichilia ematica, Mango, Guava, Orange, Avocado and Pawpaw, these trees will restore degraded landscapes and provide nutritious food for the teachers and students at each school.
Thailand, Baan Klang
60 volunteers (25 adults and 35 youth) worked together to plant 2,300 native mangrove trees in Baan Klang, Phang Nga, Thailand in an area that was previously cleared to create a shrimp farm. Starting in the 1970s, the intensification of shrimp production quickly spread to coastal areas, with Thailand becoming the world’s third-largest exporter of seafood and one of the main producers of shrimp globally.
This came at the expense of thousands of hectares of mangroves: 9,000-25,000 hectares were lost each year between 2001 and 2012 alone. Asia suffered the most Mangrove loss worldwide. Thus, shrimp aquaculture is major contributor to global mangrove forest loss, with up to 38% of recent loss attributed to shrimp farm development.
The species planted included Black Mangrove, Orange Mangrove, and White Mangrove. Before planting began, volunteers learned about the importance of restoring mangrove forests. This planting was a powerful step in the effort to reverse these historic losses and re-establish the native Mangrove ecosystem.
Colombia, Boquemonte’s Reserve
In Colombia’s Boquemonte’s Reserve, 52 volunteers came together to plant 700 native trees. The species planted included Tecoma stans, Baccharis macrantha, Pittosporum undulatum, Myrsine guianensis, and Dodonaea viscosa.
Boquemonte is a natural reservoir located in an area of indigenous settlement, that is characterized stunning ecological diversity. Home to more than 1,500 species of fauna and flora, it protects a High Andean Forest ecosystem (otherwise known as a cloud forest). The trees planted here will restore degraded soils, improve air quality, protect vital water resources, and more.
United States, Morelos Park
In Baja California’s Morelos Park, 70 volunteers (10 adults, 60 youth) gathered to plant 90 trees and 80 shrubs.The species planted included Honey Mesquite, Black Elderberry, Arroyo Willow, and Coast Live Oak, while the shrubs included Shadscale, California Sagebrush, and Bush Sunflower. As these trees grow, they will restore habitat for biodiversity and provide environmental education opportunities for youth in the local community.
As always, thank you to our amazing partners on the ground who make these events happen, and to the inspiring volunteers who roll up their sleeves and get to work in communities big and small across the globe.
Missed an event sign up? Don’t worry, we’ll do it again next year. And in the meantime, you can still help us get trees in the ground 🌿