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PLANT-IT 2020 OVERVIEW:
REFORESTATION PROGRAMS:
Plant-It 2020 provides seven different reforestation programs:
Dollar-Per-Tree Program
For every US dollar we receive, we plant an indigenous
tree that is maintained and protected. The contributor
decides where the trees get planted from our worldwide
list of locations. The trees go into non-harvest areas.
Plant-It 2020 created this program but the general concept
has since been 'ripped-off' by a few other groups. Sadly,
their trees go into harvest locations so your generosity
subsidizes timber companies at the expense of US public
lands. In addition, new funds coming in to subsidize
tree-planting periodically 'displace' previously allocated
funds so $20,000 raised by these other groups may mean
only 10,000 or even zero additional trees going into
the ground. Do it right; do it ethically.
Custom City Reforestation Events
Plant-It 2020 has a history of generating custom city
tree-planting events across the United States and in
places such as Sydney, Australia. A small, typical event
costs anywhere from US 3,500 to $6,000 and usually has
students, teachers, neighbors, service groups, youths-at-risk
and politicians working side-by-side in planting the
trees. As these are not seedlings but trees up to 15'
or so tall, the trees cost far more than US $1 per tree.
e-Card Reforestation
In partnership with another company, contributors can email a highly personalized and beautiful e-card certificate to recipients communicating that trees have been planted. No paper is used in this approach and the degree of customization of the color e-certificate is large. Of course, the card recipient can choose to print-out the color certificate if desired.
Magazine Subscription Reforestation
In partnership with American Publishers, when new magazines are ordered or old ones renewed, Plant-It 2020 plants an indigenous tree in the US. Certain restrictions apply.
'Virtual-to-Real' Reforestation
In SecondLife, Plant-It 2020 has a virtual forest (created
and managed by Converseon) where 'avatars' can purchase
and plant a tree while also receiving educational information
regarding these trees. For each virtual tree planted
in SecondLife, the same tree is also planted in real
life. Stay tuned for another 'Virtual-to-Real' reforestation
project to be announced in early 2008.
Greenhouse Gas/Carbon Sequestration Reforestation
This refers to the planting of long-lived, large-boled, fast-growing, leafy trees of certain species planted in specific soil conditions at certain latitudes (closer to the equator than the US). The trees are in non-harvest locations, grown and planted by hand and maintained with a high survival rate. Science determines that this is the most effective method for tree-planting for the purposes of reducing atmospheric carbon. The trees, ground-clutter and soil all work together to generate effective greenhouse gas storage.
Multi-Purpose Reforestation
Most people associate reforestation with simply saving endangered forests but some properly-designed tree-planting projects can also do one or more of the following: reduce human hunger (through intercropping, providing fruits and nuts); reduce thirst by raising the water table and protecting watersheds; stop encroaching deserts; moderate climate such as reducing the severity of cyclical flooding and dust storms; reduce or stop landslides that routinely threaten or destroy villages; reduce poverty by providing an income for poor people via fruits, wood and nuts to be sold; providing fuel-wood via coppicing (the tree is not cut down but a branch is cut and then re-grown without damaging the tree) so that food can be cooked; and protect certain endangered species from extinction such as the Monarch Butterfly.
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