Plant a tree

It’s good that people ask critical questions about the necessity of planting trees. Of course, reforestation does take place naturally as well and we encourage that too. But it’s a much slower process. By planting the right tree species straight away, the natural regeneration process is accelerated. This means we can sequester more carbon in the shorter term and increase biodiversity by planting a large number of different species. In some cases, spontaneous reforestation is simply not possible or desirable. In monocultures (forests of a single species), there’s often a lack of seed sources and trees for a varied forest. If you don’t take action, then a monotonous forest will regrow. In order to create native forests on that land, with a rich variety of species, it’s necessary to intervene. Or sometimes former farmland has degraded through incorrect use of the land, which means that natural reforestation is not an option there either. Whatever the case, we always plant lots of different varieties of trees and shrubs, in order to create a healthy and climate-proof forest.

Rather than talking about planting individual trees, we prefer to think in terms of planting forests, and agroforestry and food forest projects. So your donation is always part of a greater whole. Not every sapling we plant will grow to a large, mature tree. In order to create a forest, you have to start by planting more trees than will eventually survive. There’s a reason for doing this. By planting more trees at the start, we accelerate the creation of a forest ecosystem and we can also realise a greater diversity of species. So your tree will help to ensure the creation of a new forest. That’s good for biodiversity and it makes the forest more resilient to climate change.Incidentally, you can certainly follow the project where your tree has been planted. If you make an online donation, we keep you informed through our Track & Trees!

We guarantee that your trees will be planted. We draw up contracts with our project partners, in which agreements are made about activities, output and impact. We follow our projects closely through reports, field visits and rigorous monitoring, and we check the quantity and quality of the planting. We communicate this information through newsletters, social media, updates and our annual report.

Trees for All plants half of all trees in the Netherlands and the other half abroad. We do this consciously. Climate change, deforestation and nature loss are global problems. So we aim to tackle them both close to home and on the other side of the world.

If we truly want to make significant progress, it is very important that we also facilitate projects abroad. First of all, there is much more space available to plant trees on a large scale. Moreover, trees in tropical countries grow much faster, which means they absorb more CO2 more quickly. This in turn helps combat further global warming.

Furthermore, people in low-income countries are hit hardest by the effects of climate change and deforestation. Droughts, heatwaves, floods, or hurricanes, for example, cause crop failures or shortages of food and water. This is precisely why it is so important to restore and preserve forests. Our international forest projects contribute to this. Moreover, these projects ensure better living conditions for the people, who benefit from (more) employment, income, food, or better access to water thanks to the project.

In short, by supporting Trees for All you contribute to several sustainable development goals at the same time: climate action, restoration of nature and biodiversity, poverty alleviation and food security.

We think there is no single solution to this complex issue. That said, trees do play a crucial role in the fight against climate change. They store CO2, provide cooling, reduce flood risk, improve water management and increase biodiversity.

Mitigating climate change requires many different actions. On the one hand, we must drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions to limit global warming. Together – governments, businesses and individuals – we need to make more conscious choices in housing, energy, mobility, food and the production and purchase of things. On the other hand, we must ensure that excess CO2 in our atmosphere is removed. The most natural way to do that is to plant trees. So reducing our negative impact goes hand in hand with increasing our positive impact.

In doing so, we are aware that the available land in the world must be properly distributed. Not just any forest can be planted everywhere. Carbon storage by restoring trees and forests is an important part of the climate strategy, but should not be at the expense of food security or other natural areas of great value. This is why we work from our vision of “the right tree, in the right place”.

Finally, we must learn to live with a changing climate, because that is a fact. Here too, trees play an important role. They help us deal with the negative effects of climate change, such as increasing heat, drought and precipitation.

Trees for All believes that together we can make a difference if everyone contributes a tree according to their ability. Because as far as we are concerned, trees are the most powerful and natural tools to restore and strengthen nature on earth.

Exactly because so much forest is disappearing worldwide, it is important to plant new forests and protect existing ones. At the same time, we understand that the news about global deforestation and the increase in forest fires can be discouraging. But doing nothing is not an option as far as we are concerned.

Positivity is one of our core values. We believe that change is possible if we plant more trees together and raise awareness about the importance of trees. The more people who join us, the greater our impact. Every tree counts!

Besides planting trees, you can also contribute to a green and healthy world in other ways. Eating plant-based food more often, avoiding the plane and the car or buying fewer new things: it all contributes to reducing deforestation and environmental pollution. It also helps to consciously choose which organisations you support with your money: from banks, insurers and investors to the (online) shops where you buy your groceries and other items.

For more than 25 years, Trees for All has been devoted to creating more forests in the world. Our mission is to plant new forests worldwide and to restore existing forests. We plant trees in the Netherlands and abroad and raise people’s awareness of the importance of trees. In doing so, we aim for a broad impact. Not only do our sustainable forestry projects contribute to a better climate, but they also ensure more biodiversity and healthier living conditions. In this way, along with our donors and partners, we invest in a green and healthy planet for everyone.

In order to achieve our mission, we all have to do our bit (i.e. plant trees) according to the means at our disposal. So we inspire and motivate people and organisations to take action with us, by planting trees and reducing and offsetting carbon emissions.

To realise our projects, we work with project partners. We choose our projects with care and use clear criteria that have to be met by the projects (see project criteria). We believe in the power of collaboration and we aim for lasting partnerships, in order to guarantee our long-term involvement. There’s an African saying: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together”. So for us, collaboration is the key to the long-term development of our own organisation and of the world around us.

The CBF monitors recognised charities. In the Netherlands, there are over 40,000 foundations registered as Public Benefit Organisations (ANBIs), but only a few hundred of them have a CBF certificate – one of which is Trees for All. The CBF checks that charities meet strict quality requirements, thus guaranteeing that your donation contributes to a better world.