I've become a TreeappUK Ambassador!
Trees, as we all know, are vitally important to life on Earth. Forests cover around 31% of the Earth’s surface and provide a range of resources which we depend on every single day. They purify water and air, help to stabilise and enrich the soil and act as a carbon sink, absorbing the carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases that we humans emit through our day to day activities. Additionally it is estimated that 13.2 million people across the globe depend on forested areas for their income, whilst a further 41 million have jobs relating to this sector of work. Trees are incredibly important for ecosystems too. Without them many animals would fail to survive. Forests/woodlands provide critical homes to 80% of the worlds land-based species and having suitable habitats with plentiful supplies of food, shelter and water are key to their survival.
Both deciduous and coniferous woodland at Bourne Woods, Lincolnshire. Spring 2021
Unfortunately though, more and more trees are being lost and forests are disappearing at an alarming rate across the world. In the Amazon; 17% of forest has been lost in the last 50 years alone, with the main cause being conversion of land to house cattle as ranches expand. Similarly we have seen an increase in intense wildfires over the last few years, in Australia, California and even here in the UK. Some landscapes are equipped to deal with regular naturally occurring wildfires, but the scale of fires seen in 2019 and 2020 were much greater. These were caused by a mixture of clearing land for crop production alongside climate change producing prolonged periods of dry and humid conditions, thus resulting in tremendous damage to both the environment and human livelihoods.
Only 10,000 years ago, 57% of the planets’ habitable land (i.e. when areas such as glaciers, deserts and salt flats are removed) was forest; that equates to roughly 6 billion hectares. In 2018 however, the figures had altered dramatically. Only 38% of habitable land was occupied by forests (4 million hectares), whilst agriculture took up 46%; a 33% increase from the 1700s. Of this agricultural land, only 23% is used for production of human food crops such as grains, fruits and vegetables, whilst 77% is used for livestock (both grazing of livestock and planting of crops used just for animal feed). If we don’t do something about the loss of forests, another 420 million acres could be lost by 2030 and many species will likely face an increased risk of extinction as a result. And it’s not just animals that will suffer; loss of forests will impact greatly upon our lives too.
Deforestation reduces the amount of carbon that is absorbed and leads to greater levels of greenhouse gases in the air. In turn this leads to poorer air quality and rising temperatures which then alters weather patterns and impacts water cycles. Extreme weather events or natural disasters such as landslides and floods are likely to be much more frequent in areas where deforestation has occurred due to increased soil erosion and alterations in water levels of rivers and streams. The impact of this can vary but will likely result in damage to homes, reduction in suitable land for food production and loss of economic income. Moreover, there are 60 million indigenous people who live in forests that are at risk of losing their homes and livelihoods completely. These people often live in closest harmony with the natural world and yet they are easily forgotten when it comes to destruction of forests. For some, loss of forest for soy and palm plantations results in them being forced to work, sometimes at gunpoint, in inhumane conditions whilst suffering abuse.
Deciduous woodland in autumn of 2020. Belmont Tower woodland, near Belton in Lincolnshire.
You’re probably thinking that this all sounds rather bleak, and to be honest I feel like it has been a problem that has only continued to grow over the last decade. I remember learning about the impact of deforestation during my GCSEs and yet 10 years on we are still seeing forests disappearing at a rate of 30 football/soccer pitches a minute! Aside from donating to charity and planting trees in our own gardens, it can feel very overwhelming to know how to help combat this intense global issue, however it has now become a little easier thanks to the people and organisations behind initiatives like Treeapp.
I found out about treeapp towards the end of March and loved it from the very first second. The layout is simple and easy to navigate, it is informative about the projects you are supporting and it connects you with sustainable brands; not to mention the most important factor… it lets you plant a tree a day for FREE in less than a minute! So simple and easy and a convenient way of helping the Earth through our mobile phones which are pretty much on us all the time anyway! That’s why I have become one of their ambassadors, because I believe that any organisation that is trying to get people involved in helping restore the planet and have positive impacts on conservation is worth supporting. We can all do our bit, some more than others, but collectively it can add up to create huge changes and that is what this app aims to let people do – help make a difference no matter who you are, what you do or where you live!
There may be some of you reading this who are thinking ‘but how does me scrolling through an app really plant a tree? And even if it says I’ve planted a tree, how do I know it has actually been planted?’ That’s why I’m now going to explain a little about how the app works.
The founders of treeapp have spent time ensuring they only work with reliable and knowledgeable people, such as local farmers and experts, to ensure that the trees are planted at the right time of year, in the right place, and to a reasonable capacity. This way they can guarantee that only species that are endemic and native are planted in these locations to avoid introducing an invasive harmful species. Additionally they forbid the use of monocultures which don’t do anything to help restore biodiversity but rather increase the risk of disease outbreak.
Where does the money come from to fund the planting of trees? - Treeapp works with a number of sustainable companies that endeavour to offset their carbon footprint through a reforestation scheme. The app allows these brands to feature on the platform, and the brand will sponsor the planting of a tree in return. Only businesses that strive to work in a green way are supported which in turn introduces us, the app users, to new sustainable products and sometimes we even get unique discount codes to use with these brands too!
How are the trees grown and planted? - The requirements of each species and timeframe before being planted depends on the location, soil type and environmental conditions at each project. However most trees are grown to a sapling size in the partners’ nurseries before being transferred into the ground. This gives the tree a greater chance of survival once planted in its’ new environment. You can find out the 7 NGO partners who look after the tree nurseries here: Treeapp: Plant a Tree for Free, Everyday. (thetreeapp.org)
Whilst most trees are planted purely for reforestation, treeapp does allow for a percentage of agroforestry species to be planted too. This benefits the local communities and prevents them from expanding into existing or newly restored forest areas. In total over 150 different species are planted across the supported projects.
The app allows you to read up about each project location and provides information on the species and communities that are benefitting as a result of the reforestation. Additionally each project location contains a gallery of photos which gives you an even greater insight into the people behind these projects and how the trees are beginning to make a difference.
As you continue planting more trees you can unlock new locations and choose areas that resonate the most with you. For example I have planted a few more trees in the Madagascar Coastal region as it supports sea turtle populations (specifically hawksbill turtles), a species I care about greatly after volunteering in Kefalonia back in 2019. You can also allow the app to remind you to plant your free tree each day which is great when you’re forgetful like me! I happened to plant my first tree around 1pm when I first downloaded the app, therefore it reminds me just as I’m stopping for my lunch break and I can plant a tree whilst having my lunch!
So, if you love trees and the wildlife they support as much as I do, head over to your app store and download Treeapp!
Predominantly coniferous woodland at Snake Woods in the Peak District, summer 2020.
Before I finish up this blog, one extra way that you can plant trees is by changing your search engine from Google to Ecosia. Ecosia plants a tree every time you click on a supported ad after searching for something; don’t worry though you won’t be charged extra if you buy something through that link, it just tells the company that is advertising with Ecosia that people have successfully navigated to their page as a result of using that search engine. Typically it takes 45 searches for a tree to be planted. When you click on an ad relating to your search it generates a revenue for the Ecosia search engine and Ecosia then use up to 80% of the profit to plant trees at various locations across the globe too.
I have placed the links to the information sources I used for this blog down below should you wish to read more. Otherwise, thank you for stopping by, reading this entry and supporting my small business. I hope this blog has inspired you to do something positive for nature or at least gain a greater appreciation for trees!