Lucknow,

10 July (HS): Environmental experts and monitoring tools like Global Forest

Watch have observed a worrying decline in India's biodiverse old-growth forests

over the last two decades especially in parts of the Northeast and the

Himalayan belt. This loss has been due to construction, mining and logging

activities as well as frequent forest fires. The loss of India's green cover is

an overwhelmingly complex issue but four organisations are changing this

narrative. Their comprehensive afforestation strategies include empowering

citizenry to make a difference through meaningful gestures like gifting trees.

Tree‑gifting initiatives

transform celebrations like birthdays, anniversaries and corporate milestones

into moments that give back to nature, bolster local communities, and

contribute to profound ecological healing.

Grow-Trees.com:

Social enterprise Grow-Trees.com successfully planting over 20 million trees

across 24 states in India. They have pioneered the concept of a

eTreeCertificate®. Every time an individual or corporate entity greets with

trees, they receive an eTreeCertificate® as acknowledgement of their green

gesture. Users can also track the location of the project where the tree is

planted. Anyone can gift trees with just a click across diverse ecological

projects from Himalayan forests to elephant habitats to tiger corridors. Since

their inception, they have planted over 20,654,759 trees across India and

created 1,704,018 workdays, primarily for tribal and women communities. These

trees on maturity are expected to absorb 413,095,180  kg CO₂ annually.

Grow-Trees.com has played a pivotal role in habitat restoration with projects

like Trees for Tigers®, Trees for Elephants® and Trees for Leopards®. Their

afforestation projects have also restored coastal ecosystems and Himalayan

biodiversity. Anyone can be a part of their

mission to restore India's green cover by simply clicking on their website.

The

Happy Plant Project: The Happy Plant Project Welfare Society plants trees

across various locations in nine states of India. These are Madhya Pradesh,

Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Goa, Tamil Nadu

and Kerala. Through their website, users can choose trees based on region,

impact, or dedicate them under categories like ‘Leave a Legacy’ or ‘In Memory.’

Greenverz also offers a simple monthly planting programme that allows

individuals to plant one tree every month with a minimum duration of one year.

Each tree can be dedicated to someone special, whether for a birthday,

anniversary, Diwali or Christmas, making it a thoughtful option for both personal

and professional gifting.

Grow

Billion Trees: Launched with a vision to plant one billion trees across India

by June 2030, Grow Billion Trees Foundation offers individuals, corporate

entities, and community groups opportunities to participate in tree-planting

efforts aimed at addressing climate change, preserving biodiversity, and

improving community well-being. Their projects include initiatives like Trees

for Carbon Neutral Meetings, Trees for Wedding Anniversary Celebrations, Trees

for Clients, Trees for Forests, and Trees for Employees. The foundation also

leads efforts in agroforestry, Miyawaki urban forests, mangrove restoration,

livelihoods-driven rural plantations, and carbon-offset forestry.

Greenverz:

Greenverz Solutions was launched in 2022 with the objective of land restoration

through the use of technology. The organisation primarily focuses on tree

planting to restore degraded land, benefiting farmers, communities, and the

nation as a whole. It offers individuals the opportunity to plant trees on

special occasions, such as the birthday of father, mother, sibling, or cousin, as well as

on important events and international days. Donors can choose from a variety of

tree categories, including fruit trees of India, multipurpose trees, native

species, and timber trees. NGOs and business establishments can also partner

with Greenverz for tree-planting initiatives. Choose a tree, plant it online,

and Greenverz provides a geotag and regular updates on its growth. It’s a

return gift that truly lasts.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi