Planting Trees to Reduce CO2 Emissions: Introducing Trees for All
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Sea Going Green is proud to officially partner with Netherlands-based foundation and CO2 compensation providerTrees for All. To reduce emissions, Trees for All plants trees in The Netherlands and the rest of the world, from Costa Rica to Uganda!
The sustainable forest projects that Trees for All supports plant new forests and restore existing forests, contributing to biodiversity, local livelihoods and, of course, our climate!
Sea Going Green is happy to connect Trees for All with our clients that are looking to offset their CO2 emissions in their sustainability journey to #GoGreenForTheBigBlue since offsetting is an important step in lowering their environmental impacts.
In this week’s blog, we’ll hear firsthand from Simone Groenendijk from Trees for All about how the program came to be and the positive impacts they’ve made so far!
What is the story behind Trees for All? When and how was it founded and what was your journey to get where you are today?
The Trees for All Foundation was set up in 1999. Initially the foundation was called Trees for Travel. We were focused on the travel industry and supporting reforestation projects in developing countries. In the following years we noticed that more and more companies and people outside of the travel industry were interested in planting trees and offsetting their carbon emissions. Therefore we’ve decided to change our name to Trees for All in 2012.
At the moment Trees for All plants trees in The Netherlands and abroad and offsets carbon emissions. Our mission is to plant new forests worldwide and to restore existing forests.
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Who is the tree planting project for? Is it only for businesses looking to offset, or can individuals also plant trees to compensate their personal emissions or to support projects?
Our name says it all: Trees for All. We plant trees for and with everyone who wants to make a difference. We are there for people who go on holidays and want to offset the carbon emissions of their plane journey. For grandparents who want to gift their grandchild a tree that represents a greener future. We’re here for entrepreneurs who want to plant a tree for each product sold. Or for companies who want to donate a forest or offset the carbon emissions of their entire business operation.
Tell us something about your projects, past and present. Where have you made an impact and in what way?
A snapshot of our track record in reforestation and forest restoration:
We are proud of our achievements so far: we planted millions of jatropha bushes in Mali, replanted over 200 hectares of tropical forest in the Philippines, and facilitated the restoration of almost 500 hectares of tropical rainforest in Sabah, Malaysia.
Today, we help restore the impressive Kibale National Park in Uganda, one of East Africa’s most prominent rainforests, harboring a wealth of native flora and fauna. The project provides a significant boost to local biodiversity, and functions as a long-term carbon sink. We plant over 100,000 trees in Carara National Park, Costa Rica, with the aim to create a green corridor that stretches from the coastal mangroves all the way to the mountainous cloud forests, where fresh water resumes its natural flow, soils revive and biodiversity thrives.
In Bolivia we work together with local farmers to reforest degraded farmlands, creating sustainable livelihoods and tackling the major drivers of deforestation in the Bolivian Amazon Basin.
Closer to home, in The Netherlands, we planted almost 50,000 trees in Hollandse Hout and restored dozens of hectares of degraded forest in the Bieslandse Bos and Waalse Bos. We added a new sense of purpose to our tree-planting ambitions with the MH17 monument, in memory of the victims of the tragic 2014 plane crash.
As of this year, Trees for All will be planting 190,000 trees at various locations in Limburg. We will establish 23 hectares of new forest in Het Groene Woud in Brabant and we will be planting food forests at several locations in The Netherlands. This innovative form of sustainable land use has many benefits, including improved soils, enhanced biodiversity, localizing food production and improving climate resilience.
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How much CO2 have your projects captured to date? How many trees have been planted? What other impacts can you share with us?
SDG 1 No poverty: We contributed to local livelihoods in 6 different countries
SDG 13 Climate Action: 320 thousand tonnes of carbon dioxide were captured
SDG 15 Life on Land: 5 million trees planted, 32 forests restored
What do you think it would take to stop deforestation? What can we as individuals do?
There are 7.7 billion people on this earth and their numbers are rapidly increasing. All these people need clean air, clean water and food to survive. Cutting down forest for agriculture and production threatens to upset the ecological balance. Every year we lose a net total of ten billion trees. We want to turn this process around. If we plant two trees a year for every person on the planet, we can ensure that future generations can also live in a green and healthy world. That is the philosophy behind our 1-2-tree program. As an individual you can make a donation to plant a tree or offset your carbon emissions viawww.treesforall.nl.
What is your favorite species of tree? :)
I just found out that I am an Elm tree according to the Celtic tree horoscope. It says that I am guided by emotions and I follow my own path. That’s pretty true 😊 When walking through the Dutch forests I am amazed by the giant oaks and colorful plane trees (platanen). And this time of year I just love the smell of the lime trees (linde).
I am excited to partner up with Sea Going Green to promote sustainable traveling and reduce the impact of our holidays, short or long, close to home or further away. It is a journey we must undertake together. Welcome on board!