When the trees are ready for harvest, Komaza buys the timber from the farmers at a fair price, providing families that rely on subsistence … A tree is a long-term investment. TerraMatch connects these investors with trusted local experts who grow trees responsibly and at scale. Two companies at the recent Land Accelerator in Nairobi explain what adaptation measures they are taking. This report features 14 enterprises from eight countries. These companies are sending the signal that the restoration economy is at a tipping point, poised for rapid growth. If you’d rather download the publication directly, click here. As climate impacts like drought and extreme rain hit parts of Africa, entrepreneurs are finding ways to climate-proof their land and agricultural businesses. Planting trees supports wildfire recovery, improves water quality, mitigates climate change, and so much more. For the love of trees . They represent a wide range of business models that deliver financial returns for investors while restoring forests and agricultural lands. Sign up for the weekly WRI Digest. The Business of Planting Trees A Growing Investment Opportunity January 15, 2018 Approximately 41 million trees are cut down every day—far faster … "The business of planting trees is going to be one of the biggest climate stories of the next 20 years," Justin Adams, managing director for global lands at TNC, told GreenBiz, likening it to the burgeoning renewables industry in the mid-'90s. Investors and lawmakers should pay attention. THE BUSiNESS OF PLANTiNG TREES Across the world, businesses are making money from planting trees. Lawmakers from both parties have also proposed legislation to accelerate tree planting campaigns, including the "Trillion Trees Act" recently introduced by Rep. Bruce Westerman of Arkansas (which envisions increasing planting in the United States by 24 billion trees over 30 years). Donate now to help WRI turn research into action. If the majority of the potential 60 billion trees are restored and grow to maturity, they could remove 7 billion tons of carbon dioxide cumulatively through 2050. By Canopy Team on October 17, 2016. It highlights four promising investment themes in land restoration: technology, consumer products, project management, and commercial forestry. Tree Appeal and your business . It's all going directly to the Arbor Day Foundation, which is pledging exactly one tree planted for each dollar. Planting a tree is a lifelong investment. The Business of Planting Trees: A Growing Investment Opportunity by Sofia Faruqi (WRI), Andrew Wu (WRI), Andrés Anchondo Ortega (WRI), Alan Batista (WRI) and Eriks Brolis - January 2018 In recent years, hundreds of companies have entered the restoration industry. Getting your new tree off to a healthy start will help the tree mature to its full size and ensures it will provide environmental, economic, and social benefits throughout its lifetime. Moreover, while removing excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is necessary, no carbon removal solution can substitute for reducing greenhouse gas emissions as quickly as possible. Could This Actually Be Good for the Climate. Intermediaries such as land trusts, private companies or local governments could engage new landowners, bring together landowners to lower transaction costs, and provide technical assistance — especially important for practices like silvopasture that involve complex management. Degraded land is a challenge for many of Africa’s farmers, and plays a role in driving people away from their villages into cities. Today, his business Komaza provides seedlings, tools, and training, while farmers provide the labor and the land. The Trillion Trees Initiative has garnered support from business and political leaders around the world. Tree planting is one of the best things we can do to help tackle climate change and support the environment. Norman Sison (The Philippine Star) ... “I can tell you that I didn’t enjoy planting trees when I was a kid because I wanted to play,” Mara recalls. The country can't realistically return productive agricultural lands to forest, not when we need to feed a global population expected to reach 10 billion by 2050. 8 Steps to Plant a Tree. An ancient Chinese proverb says: “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. 10 G Street NE Suite 800Washington, DC 20002, USA, Phone +1 (202) 729-7600Fax +1 (202) 729-7610, African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100), It's Time to Invest in Ethiopia's Forest Sector, Connecting the People Growing a Trillion Trees the Right Way, Attention Investors: African Entrepreneurs Are Restoring Land and Making Profit, For Small Businesses in Africa, Climate Resilience Is an Economic Opportunity, Young Entrepreneurs See Business Opportunity in Rural Africa’s Degraded Lands, RELEASE: New Report Shows That Actually, Money Does Grow on Trees, Attracting Private Investment to Landscape Restoration: A Roadmap, Navigating the Sustainable Investment Landscape, Roots of Prosperity: The Economics and Finance of Restoring Land, The Economic Case for Landscape Restoration in Latin America, Greening Governance Seminar Series: Building Resilience and Greening Africa through Entrepreneurship. Get our latest commentary, upcoming events, publications, maps, and data. Nor can we expect trees to grow on landscapes that aren't ecologically suitable — think deserts or the Great Plains — without vast influxes of water and fertilizer, which would carry their own environmental consequences. But as part of an "all-of-the-above" strategy that includes both emissions reductions and carbon removal, tree restoration can provide meaningful benefits — and those benefits go far beyond carbon. Scientists have shown that achieving the Paris Agreement goals and limiting the worst climate impacts means reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions around 2050. However, there are better times than others for multiple reasons. A CO2 Direct Air Capture Plant Will Help Extract Oil in Texas. They provide food and homes for squirrels and birds, shade for the forest floor (and for people! The companies are part of an emerging “restoration economy” focused on reforestation and otherwise restoring degraded land. The Trillion Trees initiative and major corporations are looking to invest in tree-planting. Sign up for the weekly WRI Digest. If done well, planting trees can help address the climate crisis by removing carbon from the atmosphere (though it's no substitute for reducing greenhouse gas emissions) while providing benefits for communities and the environment. Photo by Cecilio Ricardo/U.S. Investment could also come through a tax credit for tree restoration, akin to the Investment Tax Credit for solar power. Over the next six months, WRI convened a panel of foresters and development experts to analyze various proposals from A new report by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) reveals that businesses around the world are making money by planting trees, unleashing a growth opportunity for venture capital, private equity and impact investors. The research indicates the restoration economy is at a tipping point. Create your Corporate Forest and plant trees right away. But a new wave of young entrepreneurs is heading back to the land, bringing with them startups and jobs focused on restoring forests and farmland. Forest products are already a staple of Ethiopia's economy, adding more than $2.6 billion to Ethiopia’s GDP. By planting 50 million trees on our National Forests, we are investing in healthy forests for today and for future generations. WRI considers trees the “low-hanging fruit” in its carbon-capture portfolio—“A new tax credit, direct payment program, and/or state grant program to … ), trees planted by Canopy have exceptional rates of establishment and survival. Tree-Nation offers you a comprehensive set of tools to allow your company plant trees and make the most of each tree planted. To do that, the United States needs more than just talk of a trillion trees; it needs to invest billions of dollars in this climate opportunity. We regret the error. You don't need to lift a finger, unless you want to that is. Under either policy mechanism, the government could encourage small landowners to participate by making third-party intermediaries eligible for the subsidy. The correct number is 400 million. The next best time is now.” We hope that, after reading this report, investors and entrepreneurs will agree and be inspired to make money by taking up the business of growing trees. Almost three-fourths of Ethiopia's land could benefit from more trees, offering a massive opportunity for Ethiopia's economic wellbeing. While this might seem like a strange business to start up and make money from, starting a tree planting service is actually a lucrative business that can be embarked upon by any enterprising and innovative entrepreneur. Trees (and shrubs) can be planted any time of the year that you can dig the proper planting hole. As a result, more and more people are disconnected from natural areas such as forests and are unable to reap the daily benefits they provide. U.S. President Trump highlighted the initiative as the cornerstone of his plan to protect the environment, a rare shift for an administration that has moved to withdraw from the Paris Agreement on climate change and dismantle domestic environmental regulations. Not all cropland is suitable for agroforestry, but in certain areas planting trees between rows of crops, around the edges of fields or along streams can provide a host of environmental and economic benefits to farmers while removing carbon from the atmosphere. But how and where can the United States plant billions of new trees? "There is the opportunity to deliver value to society." But a report issued this morning by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) suggests that the planting of trees is far … Here are five ways the United States can restore trees to the landscape: Reforestation involves planting trees on historically forested lands that no longer support forest cover — including lands disturbed by wildfire or disease, as well as open spaces in the suburbs and rural areas. Restoring trees to the landscape is truly a win-win for the climate and communities — but we need to start planting now for new trees to reach their full carbon-removal potential by mid-century. New analysis from WRI shows that even within these limits, the United States has ample room to restore trees to the landscape beyond current rates of replanting — up to 60 billion new trees by 2040 if we use all suitable land across the country without reducing food production. The Nature Conservancy and World Resources Institute recently co-published " The Business of Planting Trees," which highlights what big business reforestation efforts have become. The trees are to be planted starting in January with a completion deadline of December 2022. Federal lawmakers could also leverage state and local policy tools, like smart growth plans or property tax incentives, by awarding federal grants to states that meet tree restoration targets. Planting trees can be one of the best green things you can do in and for your community. Tree Appeal plants trees on behalf of your company. We make it easy – $1 plants one native tree on a National Forest in need of reforestation. Half of all U.S. forests used for timber are considered "understocked" by the Forest Service. Thanks to our rigorous planting protocols (and our awesome volunteers! Approximately 80% of the U.S. population lives in cities. 10 G Street NE Suite 800Washington, DC 20002, USA, Phone +1 (202) 729-7600Fax +1 (202) 729-7610, feed a global population expected to reach 10 billion, 3 Ways President Biden and Congress Can Restore US Forests, Want to Help the US Economy? When you consider what trees do for the environment, they’re pretty amazing. Mario Sebastian Sr., 63, a businessman engaged in … This makes urban trees extremely important for providing shade, removing air pollutants, reducing stormwater runoff, and providing recreational and aesthetic benefits. With a public investment of $4-4.5 billion per year — comparable to what the federal government currently spends on fossil fuel subsidies, but nearly 100 times more than what the Trillion Trees Act would provide — the country could complete this tree restoration campaign within 20 years. The total number of trees cities can plant is small relative to opportunities in other places. Donate now to help WRI turn research into action. Series, BELL, and WRI is available at: www.BELLinnovation.org. ), and oxygen for the atmosphere — … Public investment could come in the form of incentive payments for tree restoration, building on similar landowner payments the U.S. Department of Agriculture issues for conservation practices on forest and agricultural land. In 2010 the city spent $1.5 billion planting trees, draining its coffers and borrowing from neighboring provinces before Bo was removed during a politically motivated anticorruption sweep … CHAPTER Planting and Establishing Trees p. 2 Ten Steps to Planting Trees Step 1 Look up If there is a wire, security light, or building nearby that could interfere with proper development of the tree canopy as it grows, plant elsewhere or plant a tree that has a small canopy or a narrow canopy at maturity. Rethink the Trillion Trees Act, Young Forests Capture Carbon Quicker than Previously Thought, 7 Things to Know About Decarbonization in the American Energy Innovation Act. The company asked The World Resources Institute(WRI) to advise them on the implementation of a reforestation, or tree-planting, program in a developing country. The Best Time to Plant a Tree. With just a few clicks you can plant, keep track of your CO2 compensation and engage with your customers to build trust and loyalty around your company. Restocking timber forests is one way the United States can plant billions of trees. Many of these landscapes may not regenerate forests naturally, or may take many years to do so, and so require human intervention. Their plantation began as a hobby in the early ’90s when tree planting became popular in the country. But expanding tree cover in urban areas can also clean the air and provide a healthier quality of life for residents, while benefiting the climate by cooling urban "heat islands" and reducing energy demand for air conditioning in homes and businesses. Get our latest commentary, upcoming events, publications, maps, and data. Trees in the United States already provide $6.8 billion in health benefits every year by filtering pollution from the air, on top of additional benefits from cleaner water, wildlife habitat and forest industries. Plant Million Tree Initiative was launched by the Ministry, under the State of Qatar’s commitment to Paris Agreement, as trees have special significance in the environmental system. No matter how many billions of trees we plant, tree restoration is not a silver-bullet strategy to fight climate change. Editor's note: A previous version of this blog post stated that urban reforestation can account for 400,000 new trees in the United States. Entrepreneurs across Africa are growing businesses that revitalize degraded land and fight climate change, while turning a profit and creating jobs. Planting a new tree is more than just digging a hole and adding something to the earth. There’s room for 0.9 billion hectares of new trees, they said—2.2 billion acres of tree cover, which draws down 205 metric gigatons of carbon, or 225 billion tons in US non-metric. The new report released in January 2018, The Business of Planting Trees: A Growing Investment Opportunity, shows that restoring degraded and deforested lands is not only a boon for the environment, but a lucrative opportunity for investors and entrepreneurs. Suffice it to say, the more time you can put between when you plant a tree, and the arrival of summer, the better. But still more carbon removal will be needed from other natural and technological solutions to keep the United States on track: tree restoration would only provide a quarter or less of the approximately 2 billion tons of carbon dioxide the country needs to remove each year by 2050. In addition to sequestering carbon, silvopasture systems can increase soil fertility, reduce heat stress on livestock and provide supplemental income from timber, fruit or nuts. Restocking forests, for example by replanting after timber harvests or controlling competition from invasive species, can store more carbon in existing forests — especially in the eastern United States, where wildfires pose a smaller risk. That’s why we're planting 50 million trees across our National Forests. Those trees could remove up to 540 million tons of carbon dioxide per year from the atmosphere, equal to nearly 10% of the country's annual net greenhouse gas emissions, or all annual emissions from U.S. agriculture. We invite all Americans – businesses and individuals alike – to join us as we replant America’s National Forests. "The amount of carbon that we can restore if we plant 1.2 trillion trees, or at least allow those trees to grow, would be way higher than the next best climate change solution," Crowther told CNN. That investment would help private landowners shoulder the upfront costs of tree planting, which range from $50 to over $500 per acre. It’s part of the overall curb appeal of your home, it can provide shade and energy savings, and trees are also an incredibly important part of our ecosystem. Farmers can maintain livestock while integrating trees onto pastures. At Canopy, we’re pretty proud of our tree-planting track record. Every year forestry companies usually cut down thousands of trees and then ensure that thousands more are replanted. In recent years, hundreds of companies have entered the restoration industry. This report profiles 14 businesses that are part of an emerging restoration economy. Over the last 20 years Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust has planted around 1.5 million trees in and around the Yorkshire Dales. The United States may not be able to plant 60 billion trees overnight, but it can start now. Forest Service The Trillion Trees Initiative has garnered support from business and political leaders around the world. The green business of tree farming . How well this investment grows depends on the type of tree selected and the planting location, the care provided during planting, and the follow-up care after planting. The goal is to plant trees on every continent but Antarctica and in high-need forests. The Business of Planting Trees: A Growing Investment Opportunity by Sofia Faruqi, Andrew Wu, Andrés Anchondo Ortega, Alan Batista and Eriks Brolis - January 2018 In recent years, hundreds of companies have entered the restoration industry. 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