Trees for the Future

We're planting so much more than trees.
We're planting change, hope, and happiness.
Learn more at trees.org.

Happy Nane Nane Day!

Nane Nane Day - which means "eight eight" in Swahili - is Tanzania's National Farmer Day. This is a day to recognize all that farmers do for their communities and the national economy.

Join us in celebrating our Tanzanian staff and all the Forest Garden farmers they serve!

Farmers always win gold in our minds 🏅 ..and so do supporters like you.

Teamwork makes the dream work 🤜 🤛

Did you know the average Forest Garden is home to thousands of agroforestry trees?

Farmers grow their trees from seed in nurseries on their own land. As the trees restore and protect the land, farmers are able to plant dozens of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and grains to support their families' nutrition and income.

Lydia has learned a lot since joining our training program three years ago. Each agroforestry technique plays a part in restoring her land and providing for her family.

Permagardens ➡️ Daily access to food and income
Living fence ➡️ Protection from the elements and animals
Contours and alleys ➡️ Water management
Compost ➡️ Improved soil fertility

A day in the garden is a day well spent ☀️

Before joining Trees for the Future's Forest Garden training program, Wilson didn't grow fruit trees or save his own seeds. Today, he is an expert in both. The fruit from his trees serves as both food for the family and a stream of income. And his seed saving helps him grow his garden and earn extra money to support his family.

Did you know that farmers in our program learn to grow their own trees from seed?

This helps us reach more farmers with tools and resources and ensures they have the knowledge they need to continue thriving on their land long after they graduate from our program.

Cassava anyone?

This root vegetable is full of vitamin C and serves as a reliable food and market crop for farmers across our program.

We could stare at this living fence all day!

Farmers in our program grow trees in three layers to establish a protective barrier around their Forest Garden. A mature living fence keeps animals out, give nutrients to the soil and hold it in place, and offer valuable resources to the family. That's the power of agroforestry.

Farming is hard work... but the Forest Garden makes it easier. Forest Garden farmers learn to be strategic about their use of space and time, enabling them to do more with less!

What a spread! 🤤
A vibrant Forest Garden provides access to fresh, nutritious food year round.

The kind of that restores hope, breaks cycles of poverty, and regenerates landscapes...

Thank you for being a part of it!

Kids deserve a happy childhood and a secure future... Forest Gardens give them both 💚

"We are on the road to success.”

Raphael Owaka followed the typical approach to farming on his land for years. He cleared his land of trees and plant life to make room for more crops. But with the natural protection of root systems and canopies gone, the land gets hotter and the soil erodes.

Once he established his Forest Garden, he says the land became noticeably cooler. Read more about Raphael's family and Forest Garden here:

A Plan for Their Land, a Plan for the Planet Beneath the shade of the trees she planted herself, Rosemary Adika lists all the things growing on her Kenyan farm.  “Many different types of tree species; palm trees, avocado, mango. I grow maize, cassava.”  The list is far from exhaustive. At last count, she had 17 different food and market ...

Yes, we plant trees, but it's so much more than that.

We train farmers in a regenerative farming technique called the Forest Garden Approach. Farmers plant thousands of trees and dozens of fruit and vegetable crops on their own property, strategically:

🌿 Restoring degraded land
🌳 Protecting the landscape and their crops
💧 Conserving water and channeling it back into the ground
🐝 Supporting the biodiversity that helps the land thrive
🥑 Ensuring access to diverse, nutritious foods all year long
💲 Securing a steady income to support the family

Transformations like these definitely make it a !

Land restoration benefits people and the planet. With the Forest Garden, it starts with restoring soil and grows into flourishing environments, both locally and globally. People are impacted immediately and in the long term, as are habitats from small to big- such as fostering microorganisms in the ground and reduced pressure on local habitats.

The Forest Garden Approach is transforming land and lives, holistically.

Thank you for being a part of the change you want to see in the world. 🌍

People must be included in land restoration efforts for solutions to remain sustainable. The Forest Garden Approach works hand in hand with farmers to restore their land to benefit their lives.

A few benefits are:
🍽️ Food Security
🥕 Increased Nutrition
💰 Increased Income
🏥 Access to Healthcare
🎓 Access to Education
💪 Women and Youth Engagement
🤝 Community Engagement
📈 Stronger Local Economies
😃 Peace of Mind

The Forest Garden Approach restores landscapes through farmers using sustainable and regenerative practices. Restoring land has ripple effects that help the planet in countless ways.

To name a few:
🌱 Healthy Soil
🐝 Increased Biodiversity
🌳 Carbon Sequestration
🐦 Increased habitat for wildlife
🌍 Reduced pressure on natural areas

Respecting nature and the communities we serve is at the core of what we do. That is why we are thrilled to see TreeSisters publication of the Framework this week.

Rooted in Ethics is a Community Tree Stewardship Framework that seeks to redefine ethical tree growing to include and honour the inherent rights and intelligence of all beings and communities of .

We were grateful to be have the opportunity to contribute to this framework and thank Tree Sisters and all who made this valuable framework a reality!

Rooted in Ethics | TreeSisters We are calling for land and forest restoration that respects the rights of Nature, communities and cultures.