This guide will educate you in three areas:<\/p>
\u201cWe are the first generation to feel the effect of climate change and the last generation who can do something about it.\u201d – Barack Obama<\/em><\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t Why do you want to plant trees? To combat climate change? To embrace social responsibility? To enhance your public image?<\/p> Whatever your motives, understand that planting trees is just one component of a sustainability strategy. It is not a miracle cure.<\/p> If planting trees is your strategy\u2019s only component, you have no strategy.<\/p> To become more sustainable as a company, examine all your business areas. Here are some suggestions to get you started:<\/p> If you advertise your tree-planting efforts while your products and services contribute to climate change (like big oil companies), that\u2019s greenwashing.<\/p> A genuinely sustainable brand will show its commitment to the planet\u2019s welfare in all its areas, not just by supporting tree-planting initiatives.<\/p> Takeaway: <\/p> Planting trees is just one element in an overarching sustainability strategy.<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t Trees are natural allies against global warming. They absorb a net 7.6 billion metric tonnes<\/a> of CO2 per year. That is triple the annual emissions<\/a> of the European Union.<\/p>\n However, trees do not absorb CO2 instantly, but gradually over their lifetime. Planting 100 trees now will not cool the climate for decades to come.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why it is vital to plant trees and <\/b>reduce greenhouse gases.<\/p>\n In this section, you\u2019ll learn:\u00a0<\/p> Here are four reasons why planting trees can be beneficial for companies:\u00a0<\/p> In the past decade, countless initiatives have sprouted up to plant millions and billions of trees. While that\u2019s a great idea, the initiatives often fall short.<\/p> Takeaway: <\/p> Planting trees can help both the environment and your brand as a whole.<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t Planting trees without considering the local conditions can lead to high sapling mortality rates and other issues. Here are a few examples:<\/p> Takeaway: <\/p> Scientists and researchers are better at planting trees than politicians or business people<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t Reforestation means planting trees where forests have been cut down or destroyed. It is a step towards restoring ecosystems, but it comes with its own set of challenges:<\/p> The impact these trees have is much more important. Will they live for 20+ years? Do they contribute to healthy biodiversity, local cultures, wildlife, and soil?<\/p> Don\u2019t be blinded by the number of trees planted. What\u2019s impressive is when an initiative can prove how their work helped the environment.<\/p> Takeaway: <\/p> Flashy numbers of X trees planted are misleading. Impact trumps numbers.<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t When choosing a tree-planting project to support, check if they promote ecological restoration, reforestation, or afforestation.<\/p> Here are some key differences:<\/p> Ecological restoration<\/strong> means restoring damaged forests to a healthy state.<\/p> Benefits<\/strong>:<\/p> Disadvantages<\/strong>:<\/p> Reforestation<\/strong> means planting trees in areas where forests have previously existed.<\/p> Benefits<\/strong>:<\/p> Disadvantages<\/strong>:<\/p> Afforestation<\/strong> means planting trees on previously non-forested land.<\/p> Benefits<\/strong>:<\/p> Disadvantages<\/strong>:<\/p> The most cost-effective natural climate solution<\/a> is to prevent ecosystem destruction. A naturally grown ecosystem sequesters more carbon<\/a> more securely than tree plantations.<\/p> What we need are resilient ecosystems that support life.<\/p> Restoring existing ecosystems seems like the most promising option out of the three. Afforestation and reforestation have potential, too, but there\u2019s no guarantee a newly planted army of trees will mature into a healthy forest.<\/p> Takeaway:<\/p> Stay away from monocultures. Fast-growing plantations don\u2019t do the job.<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t Planting trees in areas not naturally suited for dense forests can harm plant and animal habitats. The livelihoods of people who depend on these ecosystems are at risk, too.<\/p>\n For example, the African savannas face risks from afforestation efforts<\/a>. The savannas store carbon underground, protecting it from fires and grazing.<\/p>\n Afforestation would harm the savanna\u2019s ecosystem, and natural factors like fire and tree- killing animals are a hazard to saplings.<\/p>\n Takeaway: Afforestation can quickly go wrong.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Restoration and reforestation may be better choices. \u2014\u2014 If you want to learn more about the pitfalls of planting trees, check out this extensive journal article<\/a>.<\/p>\n Now that you\u2019re familiar with the basics, we\u2019ll jump into the third part of this guide: Choosing a tree planting partner<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t This section covers:<\/p>\n We\u2019ve compiled a list of criteria to help you make better decisions when choosing a tree- planting partner.\u00a0<\/p> No initiative will tick all the boxes. But when an initiative seems to tick almost none of the boxes, it\u2019s better to choose a more transparent initiative.<\/p> Expertise:<\/b> Can the project prove their experience and knowledge in tree planting and ecosystem restoration?\u00a0<\/p> Look for:<\/b>\u00a0<\/p> Transparency:<\/strong>\u00a0Do they offer clear information on progress, costs, and results for trustworthiness?<\/p> Look for:<\/strong><\/p> Ecological considerations:<\/strong>\u00a0Do they select native tree species to support biodiversity and ecosystem health?<\/p> Look for:<\/strong><\/p> Community:<\/strong>\u00a0Do they engage locals, respect indigenous rights, and consider the project\u2019s impact on the local economy?<\/p> Look for:<\/strong><\/p> Science:<\/strong>\u00a0Do they use scientific methods, learn from new data, and collaborate with experts to enhance their practices?<\/p> Look for:<\/strong><\/p> Longevity:<\/strong>\u00a0Are they dedicated to long-term maintenance and monitoring of tree health and surrounding ecosystems?<\/p> Look for:<\/strong><\/p> The non-profit news platform Mongabay created a global directory of tree-planting projects.\u00a0<\/p>\n They collected publicly available data from tree-planting projects and compared them against 36 critical criteria essential for successful tree-planting.<\/p>\n \u00a0While publicly available data may not represent reality, the database grants at least some degree of insight into most projects.\u00a0<\/p>\n So, how does it work? Just\u00a0visit the website<\/a>, enter an initiative\u2019s name, and explore the data!<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t You\u2019ve got all the knowledge you need to find a suitable partner. If you\u2019re looking for a promising initiative, here\u2019s one we recommend:<\/p> Eden Reforestation Projects:<\/strong> Eden Reforestation<\/a> operates in 10 countries. They work with local communities to restore forests on a massive scale, creating jobs, protecting ecosystems, and helping mitigate climate change.<\/p> Here are some key facts:<\/p> That\u2019s it for today. Thanks for reading & stay green <3<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Not all tree planting helps the environment. If done carelessly, it can do more harm than1. How to avoid using trees for greenwashing<\/h2>\t\t\n\t\t
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<\/li><\/ul>2. The benefits and pitfalls of planting trees<\/h2>\t\t\n\t\t
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2.1 Benefits of planting trees as a company<\/h2>\t\t\n\t\t
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<\/li>\n2.2 When planting trees fails<\/h2>\t\t\n\t\t
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<\/li>\n2.3 The challenges of restoration<\/h2>\t\t\n\t\t
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<\/li>\n2.4 Restoration vs. Reforestation vs. Afforestation<\/h2>\t\t\n\t\t
2.5 Afforestation can harm biodiversity in grasslands<\/h2>\t\t\n\t\t
3. Choosing a tree-planting partner<\/h2>\t\t\n\t\t
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3.1 Criteria for choosing a tree-planting project<\/h2>\t\t\n\t\t
3.2 Use Mongabay\u2019s transparency tool to scrutinize tree-planting initiatives<\/h2>\t\t\n\t\t
3.3 Our recommended initiative<\/h2>\t\t\n\t\t
\ngood. In this guide, you\u2019ll learn what you need to know about planting trees as a company
\nto contribute to a greener future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[88],"tags":[90],"service":[],"class_list":["post-2808","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-know-how","tag-know-how"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n