Plant trees with every order

I’m delighted to announce that from today, every purchase made through Lazy Flora will help our community plant trees, at no extra cost to you.

We’ve partnered with environment organisation Ecologi to plant trees with every purchase made via our website.

Each month, they'll be planting native and diverse trees in Madagascar, Mozambique, or Nicaragua on our behalf. The planting projects, carried out by Eden Reforestation, help to support communities and reduce poverty by employing local workers.

We know this isn’t the only thing we need to do, but it’s a really tangible step, and its something that can scale with us as we grow. We want to take responsibility for playing our part in tackling the greatest threat of our generation.

Reforesting responsibly

We know that planting trees is an excellent way to restore the planet. But when applying tree-planting as a climate solution, organizations have to take steps to ensure that the work is being done properly.

We want the trees we fund to be the most well-loved trees that ever did grow, and that means reforesting responsibly.

For example, this means:

• planting ecologically appropriate trees in the right places
• coordinating with local communities
• ensuring that trees are protected from outside threats (both natural and manmade) so that they can survive and thrive
• helping support biodiversity and carbon sequestration.

Where our trees will be planted

So far, our trees are being planted at three different locations:

Marataola, Madagascar

The trees being planted here are mangrove trees. Three quarters of tropical fish rely on mangrove roots for hatching, so the trees being planted here will restore a large expanse of vital ecosystem.

So far, the trees that the Ecologi team have planted at this site have taken incredibly well and are sprouting nicely.

Changalane, Mozambique

The site in Mozambique is a 2000 hectare site that has been decimated by deforestation.

The replanting of open woodlands in this area should restore the area to habitat ripe for species such as white rhino, lions, warthogs, buffalo, zebra, leopards, cheetahs, and painted hunting dogs (Africa’s rarest carnivore).

One of the native trees that is being planted here is the Gum Arabic tree, which has so many different possible uses: it has pods that are used for cattle and poultry feed, twigs that are used for toothbrushing, and gum that has been used for over 5000 years for medicines and dyes.

All the seeds planted in this forest are being collected from local forests.

Bosawas Biosphere Reserve, Nicaragua

This is a project to reforest a smaller patch of land which was illegally logged back into rich tropical rainforest.

Trees to be planted at this location include Acacia, Mahogany, and the Rain Tree.

Sustainability for the local community

All these projects are community led, so that those people who are most impacted by the loss of natural resources stand to benefit the most. For many of the workers who are employed locally, this often means earning a fair wage for the first time in their lives.

Why plant trees?

Planting trees and reforestation is a well-known climate solution because of trees’ ability to absorb carbon from the atmosphere and store it. This process is entirely natural, and much more effective than any manmade carbon removal technology that currently exists.

Planting trees is a wonderful thing to do for many other reasons, for example:

• Trees provided habitat and shade for local wildlife, helping to prevent species loss.
• Trees provide products that local community members can sell, like fruits and nuts, without harming the trees themselves.
• Roots of trees help to stabilise the soil and reduces the risk of natural hazards like landslides, which is to the benefit of local communities.
• Trees help to purify the air and water sources, providing better health outcomes for local communities.
• Coastal tree species like mangroves provide excellent natural barriers which protect the shoreline from storms.
• Trees make us feel better: research suggests they have a positive impact on our mental health. 

There is still much to do

Of course planting trees is not the only way to have a positive impact on the environment and reverse climate change. It’s just one part of the equation.

Just as important as replanting trees in areas that have been subject to deforestation, is the preservation of primary forests, which make up over 30% of all forests on our planet.

Protecting existing forests is vitally important in the climate and biodiversity crisis, and there is much still to do.

Many projects exist in each of these important areas, and we plan to increase our support for projects like this over time. This is just the first step, and one I'm so proud - and relieved - to finally make.

Claire
Lazy Flora Founder & CEO