Planting Trees to grow local economy
Planting trees is not about mass forests or miles of green belt. It's about farmer-level change, where families grow trees and benefit while land is restored.
*2025 project report
Why the Tree Project Is Both Different and Successful
We started planting trees in 2012 by re-protecting community owned forests that had fallen foul to wide-spread deforestation. These community forests have transformed from bush scrub to trees.
Yes, it worked, but there was a problem. ​
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The communities volunteering had no direct benefit from their efforts. People need trees of their own, trees to grow fruit, trees for tea, trees for fertiliser, trees to hold field soil together, trees to coppice, trees for building....
The problem with planting trees is land is in short supply, and farmers need income. If trees cannot sustainably benefit people as well as the environment, then forests will never be future proofed.
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Today we ALSO plant trees across farm land, teaching sustainable forestry and helping families grow businesses from their trees.
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And it's doing more than working, it's changing lives.
An example of a community forest re-instated. Every year along this road lorries and cars fell off the edge to fatal consequenses.
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5pm-8pm
DAILY
Before
5pm-8pm
DAILY
After
The community were keen to have trees line the road again and re-plant the forest that once existed on these slopes.
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Today you'll find trees, cars and lorries can no longer tumble down the hillside and people walk up the road in shade. There are even benches and little shops found under the shade along the way.
The Unique way We Plant Trees in Malawi
Growing Micro-Forests with Families to Generate Income and Improve Livelihoods
Delivering every project with relavent education including: agroforestry, grafting, fruit production, sustainability and business strategy
Planting un-farmable land and riverbanks with protected trees and protecting existing forest
Reducing firewood consumption through fuel efficient clay stoves
Fly over a growing forest with us
Want a "fly on the wall" experience?
It's called ROOTED. A community of online donors who get to join calls with local farmers, talk to the tree project team and follow the project in real time.
As far as we know - there's nothing like this level of accountability and access to a project out there...
Join ROOTED today
🌱 Monthly live calls with Joe, Augustine and Chinsi from different partner and community locations
🌱 Easy-read monthly email updates on progress across the mountainous watershed
🌱 Impact stories from families or villages with Google Earth coordinates and data
🌱 A Tree Twinning bauble each Christmas
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You'll be directly connected to the tree project team with unique insights, heartfelt stories and a genuine sense of change and the impact of your giving.
