I

n the words of George Eliot, “It never will rain roses: when we want to have more roses we must plant more trees”. The English writer wrote this in 1868, in his novel “The Spanish Gypsy”. It was true then, and it is true now.

Trees have a fundamental role on our planet, mainly providing us with clean air by absorbing harmful pollutants and releasing clean oxygen for us to breathe. Their roots work like filters, allowing them to capture rainwater and thus slow down the water’s absorption into the soil and reduce the risk of natural disasters. One tree can be home to hundreds of species, both animals and plants. Trees can have a huge impact on climate and on the health of our planet and of everyone that lives in it.

Trees can also have a huge social impact. Not only do they provide jobs to lots of people, such as farmers, loggers, arborists, researchers, among many others, but also they transform lives and landscapes. “Unsustainable land use is at the root of our most pressing challenges”, explains Trees for the Future (TREES). “Trees have the power to support communities, improve lives, and restore the planet”.

TREES aims to help grow vibrant economies, thriving food systems, and a healthier planet, by training communities on sustainable land use. Thousands of farmers and farming families across nine countries in sub-Saharan Africa are part of TREES’ programs, which have been in place for over 30+ years. Up until 2014, TREES worked with farming families across the globe, and from then on they focused their work in select African countries, where the climatic and economic challenges are most pressing, therefore allowing TREES to make the greatest impact. So far, already 344,000,000 trees have been planted through these programs and 100,338 acres have been restored, changing the lives of 340,000 people.

At Coverflex we are aware of the importance of empowering communities and individuals, and also of the urgency of developing sustainable ways to nourish the health of our planet and everyone living in it. This is why we recently established a partnership with TREES - because we believe in these programs and in the work being done through them, we funded 4,000 trees, hoping to have an impact on the earth and on the lives of people who are in need. We also promised that we would fund the planting of a tree for every new customer we had: so far, 3,040 trees have been planted as a result of this promise.

By helping TREES plant trees, you give families the ability to transition from unsustainable farming techniques to agroforestry and thoughtful land management, allowing farmers to have the resources and knowledge they need to succeed, changing their lives forever and simultaneously helping the planet.

If you want to help TREES plant trees, you can donate as an individual here. If you’d like to also establish a partnership with them, you can do so here.