Importance Of Trees

• Trees give us much-needed oxygen and sequestercarbon dioxide

• Trees increase biodiversity

• Trees fix nitrates into soil making it more fertile to grow other plants, like vegetables

• Urban tree planting improves pride of place

• Trees provide healthy and beautiful places for children to play and learn

• Fruit trees provide nutritious fruit to eat

• Trees improve an area's water quality


GOOD THINGS HAPPEN WHEN...YOU PLANT A TREE

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS

Put simply, trees promote life. Not only do trees produce oxygen and sequester carbon dioxide, they also provide homes for animals, recharge groundwater, replace soil nitrates, prevent erosion and more. The addition of an indigenous tree to any environment will have countless environmental benefits.

SOCIAL BENEFITS

1 in 5 South African children suffer from
chronic malnutrition. This can negatively affect concentration, ability to learn and school attendance.
Planting fruit trees at schools can aid with
food security.

In South Africa, there is huge disparity between ‘leafy’ privileged areas and ‘barren’ under-privileged areas. Urban greening improves pride of place in communities and has also been linked to reductions in social ills, like crime and drug abuse.

ECONOMIC BENEFITS

Money does grow on trees! Fruit and olive trees can provide produce that can be used in feeding schemes or sold by schools and communities. Indigenous trees increase property values and can provide natural air conditioning for homes and classrooms.

MONITORING
To ensure good tree maintenance, our beneficiary sites are monitored on an ongoing basis. The data collected helps us better understand the beneficiary’s needs, and gives us a good indication of our impact.

INCENTIVES
Because the survival of our trees is so important, Greenpop has an incentivised approach that allows beneficiaries to qualify for further trees, fruit trees and support based on their performance, interest and care of the initial trees.

EDUCATION
Greenpop has partnered with the South African Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) and Kirstenbosch Education to offer certified courses on biodiversity and tree care for the teachers and garden staff at our beneficiary schools.

WATER RECYCLING
Greenpop’s Grey Water project has been very successful thus far. This sees school children watering their new trees with used water brought in from their baths or showers at home in 2-litre recycled bottles, saving water and teaching recycling.