When you purchase a t-shirt or a hoodie (or really any of the items we print on including mugs, totes, posters and more) from the HEMPBEST store our 1-for-1 reforestation program will contribute towards the planting of over one million trees in its first year, which will over time capture up to 100,000 tons of carbon. 

Why plant trees?

planting trees is one of the most economical and effective ways to capture and store greenhouse gases.

How do we select planting sites?

Planting sites are selected based on the degree of deforestation and poverty in the region. We’re committed to working alongside local villages and communities to achieve a successful and longstanding reforestation effort. By providing jobs and creating a sense of ownership, we reduce poverty and increase the chances of success.

Who do we partner with?

We have partnered with Reduce. Reuse. Grow. Inc. (RRG), a Sustainability-as-a-Service business that operates programs to help offset impacts from print, consumer packaged goods, and technology industries. RRG will manage the tree planting process on our behalf.

By working in these countries not only will we be contributing to the fight against climate change by planting carbon-sequestering forests and mangroves, but we’ll also be delivering ecological and social benefits to the local populations.

How does this program help communities?

Our partners in these restoration efforts ensure to employ local villagers in these planting efforts, creating an economic boost. These landscapes have been devastated by poor forest management practices and the land along with the people are suffering.

By employing locals in the planting and protection of these restoration sites, these projects also combat the negative effects of deforestation in terms of both watershed health and wildlife diversity. In doing so the land again begins to flourish and provides sustenance to the local people’s wildlife.

PLANTING SITES AROUND THE GLOBE:

Moraharivo, Madagascar

Our planting partners in the Betsiboka River are focusing on restoring its precious mangrove forests. The estuaries of the Betsiboka were once surrounded by mangrove forests that held a variety of habitats for unique plant and animal species. For centuries, local Malagasy people have relied on the fish and shellfish living in these ecosystems for sustainable food sources. The mangroves’ deep root systems are also vital for stabilizing the coastline and reducing erosion.

• Type of Reforestation – Mangrove
• Size of Site – 872 hectares
• Trees per Hectare – 10,000
• 2021 Hectares Restored – 20
• Carbon Sequestered per Hectare – 840 metric tons
• Total Estimated Carbon Sequestered – 16,800 metric tons

Mahubo, Mozambique

Located in the district of Boane, the Mahubo site has an area of approximately 82km. The local village is made up of over 100K people, most of whom rely on agriculture for subsistence. The area has seen a massive loss of its mangrove forests due to the overharvesting of charcoal and timber. We will be restoring an area of approximately 20 hectares by planting over 200,000 mangroves, specifically the native species of Rizhopora, Ceriops, and Bruguiera.

• Type of Reforestation – Mangrove
• Size of Site – 645 hectares
• Trees per Hectare – 10,000
• 2021 Hectares Restored – 20
• Carbon Sequestered per Hectare – 840 metric tons
• Total Estimated Carbon Sequestered – 16,800 metric tons

Kitiligini, Kenya

North of Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi, the village of Kijabe stands on the edge of the Great Rift Valley. It is known for its dry steep terrain and Afromontane forests. This unique forest in Kenya is home to many pastoral communities that rely on the local ecosystem to sustain themselves and the economy. Due to deforestation events related primarily to charcoal harvesting, the land is highly degraded. Our restoration partners will utilize multiple methods of reforestation, including farmer-managed natural regeneration (FMNR) to help restore the area.

• Type of Reforestation – Afromontane
• Size of Site – 1493 hectares
• Trees per Hectare – 2,500
• 2021 Hectares Restored – 20

Aquin Bay West, Haiti

Over-harvesting activities for firewood and construction material have decimated mangrove forests along the coastlines of Haiti. Pollution, sea-level rise, and hurricanes also play a part in threatening the health of mangrove ecosystems by blocking or disrupting the tidal flow. Reforesting the southern coastline is crucial not only for the ecosystem but for the health and safety of local communities. Planting mangroves will help protect the local people from the destructive forces of hurricanes that too often hit Haiti.

• Type of Reforestation – Mangrove
• Size of Site – 338 hectares
• Trees per Hectare – 10,000
• 2021 Hectares Restored – 9
• Carbon Sequestered per Hectare – 840 metric tons
• Total Estimated Carbon Sequestered – 7,560 metric tons

Philippines

At the beginning of the last century, 70% of the Philippines was forested, but this has rapidly declined to a low of about 18.3%. This is largely due to deforestation along with land degradation and has had devastating consequences on biodiversity. With over 304,000 acres of forest cover destroyed in the Philippines each year, the remaining forests could be gone by the year 2036.

With more than 20,000 endemic species, the Philippines is recognized as one of 17 nations that, together, hold two-thirds of the earth’s biological diversity.