“Tree Planting is the most effective way to tackle climate change” – everyone.
Last week the news that tree planting was the most effective way to tackle climate change, became big news. Check out Damian Carrington’s article in The Guardian, Matt McGrath’s article on BBC website, and Chiara Giordano’s article in The Independent just as starters.
As a charity that plants trees, we’re excited and pleased that awareness of this crucial issue is growing, and the discussion about what we need to do is taking place. But time is running out and we can’t sit around discussing the finer points for much longer — we need to start moving towards how we plant trees on scale, and where.
The Plant Your Future model of engaging smallholder farmers and empowering them to reforest using sustainable agroforestry — ensuring they have a short-term income — is already proving successful in the charity’s programmes in the Loreto and Ucayali regions of the Peruvian Amazon Rainforest. So far we’ve planted over 40,000 trees that are thriving, with 30 families that we’re helping to bring out of the desperate poverty that is driving deforestation.
The Plant Your Future model can be adapted and used across the globe in a bid to make a real difference to climate change. But it needs funding to reach the grassroots organisations that are working with local people implement agroforestry.
This is a real solution that could help turn the tide of climate change. If you want to help Plant Your Future continue and expand the work it’s doing, donate today.