About Us

 

working towards a sustainable future

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Our Story

“We just  have to plant trees…the right trees in the right places.”

This is the simple premise of the first, modest steps that the My Trees Trust set out to achieve in the face of a catastrophic loss of natural woodland in northern Zimbabwe.

After several months of living amongst impacted rural communities, before even planting a single tree, the team realised how much these woodlands were missed by those that remember them just a couple of brief decades ago, and how both old and young were keen to work with us to create a solution.

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Only two years later and My Trees has grown rapidly to become the  largest community-driven indigenous tree planting initiative in Southern Africa, driven by a goal shared widely by local communities, local corporates and of course the whole, environmentally aware world – to save vulnerable habitats and restore what has been lost.

Since beginning work with rural communities in August 2019, we have planted 180,000 trees of new woodland whilst also securing of  120,000 ha of wilderness under new long-term leases in order to protect vulnerable habitat and restore once iconic wildlife populations.

We therefore now have a priceless opportunity: to increase the hundreds of acres we have planted this year and plant thousands next year and beyond. And expand the 120,000 ha of habitat that we are now protecting and preserve millions more in need of preservation.

Everything is possible! With the combined enthusiasm of rural communities and a motivated network of support, we look forward to creating a remarkable conservation story. 

Our Aim

Planting indigenous trees

RESTORING, AND PROTECTING NATURAL WOODLAND

PROVIDING ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF INCOME AND SUSTAINABLE FUELS TO AFFECTED COMMUNITIES.

The Tipping Point

Zimbabwe’s indigenous woodland is in trouble. Up to 330,000 ha are lost every year and around 60,000 ha of this is due to tobacco production.

The Zimbabwe tobacco industry has committed millions of dollars to address this issue through the establishment of sustainable fuel sources but, in the meantime, our natural woodland continues to diminish. Until now, there has been no programme in place to restore the hundreds of thousands of hectares already lost.

Plant, Restore & Protect

My Trees aims to replant, restore, and protect indigenous forest across the country, and provide alternative sources of income to affected communities.

My Trees began in 2019. Funding for the pilot phase saw 180,000 planted. We now have capacity for 500,000 trees in our nurseries. 120,000 ha of intact wilderness area  is now under protection in co-management with My Trees law enforcement and anti-poaching partners.

With Your Help, We are Making a Difference for Wildlife & Conservation

check out the Zambezi Elephant Fund