Trees for All supports forestry projects all over the world. We plant new forests, restore existing forests and advocate forest protection. We also work on greening cities and the countryside. Something that all our projects have in common is their broad impact. They make a positive contribution to the climate, to biodiversity and to the people in the region. That means that every tree makes a difference.
Quality is an important principle in our daily work. We plant the right tree in the right place and ensure it is looked after in the long term. This means we prefer to plant native species that belong in a specific area. We also invest in lasting relationships with our project partners,
who manage the trees and forests in the longer term. After all, we do not plant trees temporarily, but for life.
We do not plant all these millions of trees on our own. In the Netherlands and abroad, we work closely with local project partners, such as landscape and nature conservation organisations or NGOs. They manage the land or do so in cooperation with private land owners and
local communities. Trees for All provides the necessary funding, project supervision and additional expertise. After all, we have over 25 years’ experience in worldwide reforestation and tree planting!
All the projects we support are carefully selected and tested by our internal project managers. They have great expertise in forest and nature management and are closely involved in the content of the projects. For instance, they assess the planting and management plans,
and monitor the progress and quality of the planting in the long term.
All the projects we support have a broad impact. That means that the trees we plant contribute to a better climate, more biodiversity and healthier living conditions for people. Our projects abroad also benefit people in the region, providing extra work, income or food, thanks to the forest. This reinforces their motivation for looking after the forests in the long term.
We only support projects that focus on planting trees and shrubs, whether planting new trees and forests or restoring and reinforcing existing forests. This might involve tropical rainforests, or else trees and shrubs in cities or the countryside.
Our preference is for planting native species, and trees and shrubs that are typical of the area. These are species that occur naturally in the region or have been growing there for centuries and therefore have a positive influence on local biodiversity and on the ecosystem as a whole.
We plant trees and forests sustainably, i.e. with a view to the long term. So for each planting location, we join our project partners in deciding what is needed for the trees to grow into mature specimens. That might include setting up a temporary enclosure, providing extra irrigation for the saplings or carrying out soil tillage
Our project partners are responsible for the long-term management of the trees and forests. Agreements about this are laid down in contracts. We remain involved in a project for at least ten years, during which time our project partners keep us informed on the progress of the projects. We also visit the projects ourselves.
We work with project partners who have a good track record. They have demonstrable experience in developing and implementing tree planting and reforestation projects, and are capable of managing the trees and forests in the long term. They also have sufficient capacity to implement a project.
For projects abroad, we work on the basis of integral project financing. This means we look at the complete context of the project, which may include setting up nurseries, protecting trees, monitoring in the long term or providing training courses in forest management and fire prevention.
Our project partners are responsible for the daily running of a project. They report to us throughout the year on the progress of the planting. In addition, we monitor the projects ourselves through several field visits. Sometimes, we also invest in extra monitoring
technology and resources, so that we can measure the impact of our projects well.
Planting trees and forests involves risks and challenges, which we avoid and restrict as far as possible by taking various measures. At the same time, we cannot predict every situation. Thanks to our close involvement and the flexibility of our project partners, we are able to make prompt adjustments and take additional measures where necessary. These may include adjusting the planting methods, creating
firebreaks or providing extra water supplies for the saplings.
