Desert Tree

Project title

Several projects

Project Teaser

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best moment is now.“ (African proverb)

Desert Tree has implemented several projects, all of which are aimed at the sustainable protection of the environment. The main purpose of the organization is the protection of forests and planting of trees in areas where they are direly needed. Another aspect, albeit second to the planting activities, is the engagement to protect bees because of their importance as pollinators.

All these activities integrate the local population to strengthen the success, share the responsibility and effort and ensure a continuous development.

Active countries

Key Figures

Project Results

Over 2 thousand trees  on four continents: North-Africa, Central Asia, Europe and Latin America

Vegetation type

Local, if possible endemic species, which are adapted to the climate such as Cedrus atlantica in North-Africa

Climate conditions

Mainly in arid areas (less than 400mm annual mean precipitation) or areas suffering from desertification

Funding Sources

Funding Government
0%
Funding Internal
0%
Funding Religious groups
0%
Funding International Aid
0%
Funding Private Sponsoring
90%
Funding Inhabitants
10%

Contacts

Organisation
Desert Tree
Organisation contact
Kahlil Belaid
Phone
+41 (0)78 948 40 52
Contact E-mail
desert.tree1@gmail.com
Address
-
Postal code
4054
Place
Basel
Country
Switzerland

Description

Desert Tree is a Swiss Non-Profit organization, founded in 2014 to increase awareness and to act locally on the global issues of deforestation and desertification. This is done by with working closely with local communities, an important factor for ensuring a sustainable protection of the environment. So far, projects have been developed in 10 countries on different continents, starting small and growing as the local communities increase their experience and involvement.

Desert Tree’s approach combines a social business model with community projects:
- To help financing the projects, indoor plants are grown and sold in Switzerland.  For each plant sold, an indigenous tree is planted in one of the projects and a partnership begins. The new owner becomes responsible for its plant and is part of a concrete effort to improve the larger issues, whereas Desert Tree cares for the corresponding tree out in the big world.
- In each project, Desert Tree works with the local inhabitants and in some cases local partner NGOs. Desert Tree supplies the plants while the local people assist with the planting ant protection of the trees while they grow.

To increase the survival chances and preserve the local ecosystem, only suitable indigenous species or older varieties are planted. In addition, to create an additional benefit and connection between people and trees, the choice of species might include plants that support local families with additional food or income (like fruit or nut trees), or have a particular use (like shade trees in a village playground). In parallel, efforts are made to protect and grow bee populations, an important pollinator species. The monitoring is done on a regular basis by the team or through the local partners.

Partnerships & Collaborations

sustinova logo

Sustinova is a non-profit organisation based in Zurich, Switzerland, and devoted to promoting Sustainability in the NGO area.

As a partner, Sustinova provides operational support to Reforestation World in its public activities.

ETH Zurich - Chair of Ecosystem Management

The Chair of Ecosystem management at the ETH Zürich organised the Latsis Symposium ETH 2018 “Scaling-up forest Restoration”, on June 6-7 & 9, 2018.

Reforestation World collaborated with the link to NGOs, practitioners and others stakeholders in the field of forest restoration.