All the different needs, injustices, and brokenness in the world can be overwhelming. Where do you begin? How do you decide what issues to address first? It’s tempting to throw up my hands and either disengage or to offer passive financial support to whatever organization contacts me first. But I’d like to propose a more strategic approach to making a significant, lasting impact–it starts by planting a tree.
Let’s start with intersectionality
Intersectionality in sociology is an analytical framework for understanding how aspects of a person’s social and political identities combine to create different types of discrimination and privilege. This sociological framework helps us understand and address all kinds of societal structures.
While intersectionality mainly refers to people’s identity and social factors, the concept can help us understand how other injustices, needs, and brokenness in the world are interconnected, too.
Think of intersectionality like a very complicated Venn Diagram with many overlapping factors. Most of the time, injustices or problems in the world are fairly complex, with many contributing factors. It can be difficult to “solve” the problem because there may be many different problems at play without a clear solution that addresses all of them.
Trees and intersectionality
You’re probably wondering what intersectionality has to do with trees–or what trees have to do with addressing many interconnecting injustices. Let’s begin by exploring some of the benefits of trees.
Trees are vital to a healthy climate. They convert carbon dioxide, provide oxygen, and help improve the overall air quality. Tree roots prevent erosion, preserve the soil, and provide shade to shelter plants, animals, and humans. Trees also help filter dust and absorb pollutants like carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide.
Overall, trees play a vital role in regulating the climate by moderating the effects of the sun, rain, and wind. They are also a valuable food source for countless creatures and humans! Trees have a wide range of practical and commercial uses, from fuel to heat and cook, timber for building, wood pulp for paper-making, and many other uses. Not to mention all the fruits and nuts we enjoy. Next time you take an aspirin, thank a tree!
The loss of forests and trees presents many threats to humans, wildlife, and the environment. The flip side of this statement is very powerful: planting a tree can benefit humans, protect wildlife, and promote biodiversity, for a stable climate!
Planting trees can impact humans and the environment
There are countless benefits to planting and cultivating healthy trees. We are continually learning more about the role trees play in nature and climate control. Here are some of the top reasons to consider investing in forest protection and reforestation efforts.
Trees benefit farmers and local communities: As we mentioned before, trees are sources for many products and foods, from nuts, maple syrup, fruits and rubber, lumber, and medicines. Investing in planting trees and collaboration with local farmers creates jobs and sustainable income, benefiting the entire community!
Strategically investing in trees that produce crops and resources year after year can benefit countless generations of local families and farmers.
Trees help revitalize and protect lands: Trees grow robust root systems and come in all heights and sizes. Their extensive roots help hold the soil together, preventing erosion and devastating floods and landslides.
Trees help regulate air temperatures by providing a screen from harsh, damaging winds, and leaves help to absorb and filter the sun’s heat and energy. Tree leaves also absorb and store rainwater, reducing runoff and helping recharge groundwater supplies. Tree roots can also help prevent chemicals from being washed into streams and rivers.
As trees and forests disappear, destructive windstorms, landslides, and floods become more common, destroying precious animal habitats and killing or displacing many people. Investing in reforestation and trees protects the lives of humans and animals.
Trees fight climate change by trapping greenhouse gases: Trees are a powerful tool in the fight against climate change. Carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) in the air is affecting global warming because of its “heat-trapping” properties.
Trees absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis. They store the carbon in wood and release oxygen. So, forests are akin to giant filters for our planet.
Once a tree is fully grown, it removes less carbon dioxide because it doesn’t require as much carbon to produce wood. Responsible forest management can harvest mature trees for other resources and plant young trees to promote air filtration.
Trees provide essential habitat for wildlife: All manner of birds, mammals, and critters live in trees. Deforestation and human encroachment on natural habitats are major contributing factors to the endangerment and extinction of many species.
Trees offer both homes and hunting grounds to everything from snakes and frogs to beetles and birds. Removing these habitats means these species are likely to go extinct, negatively impacting the eco-diversity of the environment.
Trees help combat noise and light pollution: Trees play a vital role in controlling noise and light pollution in urban environments. While they don’t reduce noise levels, they help muffle and block it. Higher noise levels can have a negative impact on humans and animals alike. Noise reduction is becoming a key factor when planning urban areas and living spaces.
Why I partner with Trees for the Future
Trees play such a critical role in human, animal, and environmental health. From providing sustainable food and income to combating climate change, planting trees is a strategic way to simultaneously address multiple problems.
One of my favorite organizations to partner with is Trees for the Future. Their strategy is to empower, educate, and equip local farmers to plant and maintain healthy trees, orchards, and a biologically diverse Forest Garden system.
The Forest Garden Approach–a holistic solution
Trees for the Future uses a simple, replicable, adn scalable approach to reforestation. With this strategy, farmers engage in a four-year training program in which they plant thousands of trees that protect and reintroduce nutrients back into the soil.
Healthier soil allows the farmers to grow a variety of fruits and vegetables, which brings in life-changing income and access to healthy, nutrient-rich food. All this enriches the farmers and the communities while improving the environment!
Throughout the four-year training, farmers learn valuable skills like how to diversify their fields for the best nutritional, financial, and environmental outcome. They also gain valuable skills in advanced Forest Garden management and conservation strategies to ensure the long-term health and sustainability of the land.
I appreciate that they strategically seek to empower farmers to end poverty for their families and create healthy, thriving communities while also cultivating resilience for the environment.
All of these reasons are why I value the work that Trees for the Future does and keep me motivated to be an ambassador and financial supporter. I’d love to invite you to consider becoming a partner and ambassador for this fantastic organization, too!
Together, we can use our online presence to spread the word about the power of planting just one tree!
Head over to the Trees for the Future Instagram page to follow them and keep learning about their amazing work. Ask me why I believe their work is vital to climate care and justice. And consider getting involved!
Here’s an email I recently received from Trees for the Future that outlines some of the incredible work they’re doing:
It’s always difficult to quantify the impact of digital advocacy, but since joining TREES as an Ambassador 3 years ago, we know you’ve made a massive impact through your direct support and by spreading the word on our organization.
As a financial supporter, you’ve taken your ambassador impact to the next level. Your gifts from the last three years are directly responsible for over 35,000 trees planted! That’s quite the achievement, and as a TREES Ambassador you inspire others to follow your lead!
Leveraging your online presence, you’ve helped us grow our social platforms – specifically, we’ve seen our Instagram following grow substantially in recent years thanks to ambassador support. We’re approaching 50k followers on Instagram. Our growing social media presence helps us attract new supporters and donors. In the last three years, we’ve welcomed hundreds of new supporters, planting more than 102.4 million trees in that time.
Though it’s difficult to measure anyone’s individual impact, as one of our most active ambassadors, you were a key part of all of our achievements over the last few years.
Very best,
Junior Walters
Marketing and Communications Coordinator
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