Preventing biodiversity loss &
restoring healthy ecosystems.
Why it's important to plant trees
Healthy forests make for a happy planet, and now more than ever before our earth needs trees. Lots and lots of trees!
Healthy trees foster vibrant ecosystems for humans and all other animals to depend on by improving air quality, conserving water, preserving soil, and providing food, medicines, and shelter to support life. They play an essential role in creating a better world and planting more trees is one of the best sustainable ways we can positively impact the health of our planet.
Through the process of photosynthesis, trees absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide from our air, storing it then producing the oxygen we breathe - making forests one of the world's most important carbon reservoirs.
Trees have been scientifically proven to help reduce stress, rejuvenating our energy when we spend time with them in nature.
Gibbons depend on trees to provide food and shelter, needing large areas of continuous high- quality forest made up of a variety of season fruit trees (especially figs) for their survival.
They sleep, socialize, sing, and forage entirely in the trees, rarely coming to the ground, and fiercely defend their core home ranges from neighbouring groups in their communities in the jungle.
Forests help regulate global temperatures and weather patterns in addition to their vital role in keeping our air, water, and soil quality clean and free of pollutants.
They provide habitats to over 80% of the world's terrestrial biodiversity. Just one single tree can be home to hundreds of species of insect, fungi, mammals, and other plants.
But planting trees is not easy...
Planting trees in your yard is great. But not all tree planting is equal and if you're not careful when it comes to restoring forests, there's a lot that can go wrong despite good intentions to plant more trees.
Planting too many of the same species of tree in one area, creating what's called a monoculture, can end up creating an ecological dead zone on the land despite having an abundance of one kind of tree in the area. Monocultures throw ecosystems out of balance, reducing biodiversity, weakening soil, and increasing a buildup of pests and diseases in the area, making it hard for life to survive on the land. These areas don't support a diverse collection of animals or other plants, and can even lead to increasing carbon dioxide output, worsening the problems of climate change on our planet.
Planting the wrong species of trees, ones that aren't native to the area, can also cause big problems for regenerating forests, as non-native trees can become invasive - taking over the area and destroying the local biodiversity as they continue to multiple and expand out of control.
And, equally important as getting more trees in the ground, young trees need proper care, protection, and maintenance to grow healthy, big, and strong. So it's not enough to simply plant new trees and expect them to grow. To keep trees healthy, they must be monitored by our local community partners who equally benefit from the trees in their area and care for their development to ensure young trees survive and thrive over many years to become healthy strong forests that support a variety of life on earth.
Our tree planting programs
Plant Mixed Forests
When we plant trees, we make sure to plant a mixture of native species that will provide the necessary variety of food, shelter, and nutrients for biodiversity to regenerate and thrive in the area.
Plant Native Species
Working with horticultural experts, we make sure to plant species that are native to the areas where we plant - preferring to include natives species that have become rare and need replenishing in the areas.
Engage Local Communities
We prioritize the involvement of local communities to ensure we're improving the quality of life for people in the area - motivating local citizens to care for and protect their trees and continue to plant more.
Monitor Our Progress
We monitor the trees we plant by maintaining a database that tells us exactly where the trees we plant are, whether they survived their first year, and how they're doing for up to 3 years to ensure maximum long term impact.
Want to Get Involved?
Plant a tree with us to honour a loved one or to give as a gift with a personalized card. Get some Gibbon Gear from our fundraising store and have a tree planted in your name. Or simply make a contribution to buy new saplings and help with their care.
A vital component of our program relies on the generous contributions of land owners who have space to plant trees!
If you've got land for planting, connect with us for details about our program.
From time to time we put out a call to action looking for volunteers to help us get new trees in the ground.
Sign up for our updates here and be the first to know when we're planting trees in an area near you.