One Tree Planted Joins US Chapter of Global Trillion Trees Movement
One Tree Planted Has Pledged Plant 50 Million Trees in the United States as Part of 1t.org's Global Trillion Trees Movement
We’re thrilled to share that One Tree Planted has joined the launch of the U.S. chapter of 1t.org, and pledged to plant 50 million trees in the United States over the next 10 years.
1t.org is a World Economic Forum initiative designed to help make the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030) a reality. It offers a platform for governments, businesses, civil society, nonprofits, and ecopreneurs to connect and plant 1 trillion trees in the next decade. The overall initiative was announced at WEF’s January 2020 session, and we quickly joined the conversation about how a trillion trees could have a real impact on climate. Now, the United States is the first regional chapter.
As a hopeful sign for significant environmental restoration ahead, the U.S. is making history and positioning itself as a global leader in conserving and growing healthy forests.
26 entities are part of the US chapter announced today, including Microsoft, Salesforce, LinkedIn, Timberland, and the cities of Detroit and Dallas among others. The pledges amount to 855 million trees, to cover an estimated 2.8 million acres throughout the country.
Healthy and resilient forests are a key part of efforts to combat the negative impacts of climate change. Studies have shown trees can reduce temperatures by 9 degrees and energy costs by $7.8 billion a year. The chance of extreme wildfires occurring also decreases dramatically when forests are managed properly by, for example, planting specially-selected tree species in burned areas and using novel planting techniques for resilience to future wildfires.
One Tree Planted's Contribution
To reach our target of planting 50 million trees by 2030, we’ll partner with a wide range of local and national partners, as well as volunteers, scientists, tree nurseries, watersheds, and many other entities. This is where a modern Civilian Conservation Corps would be a great help! Because for a big goal like this, we're going to need a lot of teamwork.
Together, we’ll plant:
- 40,000,000 trees to restore degraded forests
- 5,000,000 to establish forests
- 2,500,000 to promote and establish agroforestry
- 2,500,000 to re-green developed areas
We'll also permanently conserve 54,187 acres of land and 12,000,076 trees. And as a result, we’ll sequester an estimated 18,900,666 metric tons of CO2e over 50 years.
Wondering how we’ll balance quality and quantity? Our projects are managed by knowledgeable on-the-ground partners, who are experts on their local ecosystems and typically plant a mix of local and native tree species. And our team of forestry experts will conduct annual site visits to ensure that responsible stewardship practices are in place. We'll also support and encourage the use of tracking and monitoring technologies to ensure success.
Planting trees has often been touted as a top climate change solution — and the reputation is deserved. When done correctly, reforestation projects can sequester carbon, protect biodiversity, stabilize soils, filter and absorb rainwater, clean the air, and so much more. That’s why we’re so excited to join this ambitious platform and get 50 million trees into the ground. Want to join in? Plant a tree with us today!
We plant trees on 4 continents around the world. Want to choose where yours are planted?
by Meaghan Weeden
Forest Whisperer
×
