Over 15 million trees have been planted in Uganda in three years, as part of an unlikely partnership with newborn babies in a country over 9,000 kilometres away.
The Size of Wales project, Wales’ leading climate charity that bring people in Wales and beyond together to help protect four million hectares of tropical forests, extended its efforts to Mbale, a hilly, heavily deforested area of Eastern Uganda that was once rich in biodiversity. This development is now known as the charity’s Plant! scheme.
Every time a new child arrives in Wales, two trees are now planted - one at home and one in Mbale.
Each baby receives a certificate made of recycled paper as proof of this incredible environmental feat. This has resulted in 15 million trees being planted in Uganda in just three years, combatting a tumultuous history of deforestation in the Sub-Saharan country.
In Wales, the Office of National Statistics (ONS) keeps track of new births and adoptions in order to ensure the charity’s targets are accurate. Children are sent a letter and a certificate welcoming them to visit the site of the woodlands where their tree was planted.
In Uganda, free tree seedlings are distributed to local people to be planted on community land. The charity also provides materials such as fuel efficient stoves, and advice and support for other nature-focused livelihoods, like bee-keeping.
Over 16,000 families across 10 villages in Mbale are now better off from this partnership.
On top of the tree per baby that they’re planting in Uganda, Size of Wales is planting more (an estimated of 3M/year) to support the reforestation of the area and increase community resilience to the impacts of climate change.
With 15 million trees successfully planted, the scheme intends to continue planting trees in Uganda at a rate of three million a year in order to aid community resilience in the face of environmental challenges.
Source: Euro News
