We’re delighted to be working with Namecheap to plant out the trees that have been pledged where they will make a positive impact on the environment and the people around them.

Find out more information about Namecheap and their work with ITF

Forests, climate and health

A significant driver of deforestation in Africa is the use of trees for firewood and charcoal production. It is estimated that in sub-Saharan Africa, 70 percent of people cook their meals over wood fires. Thus the very poorest cut down trees for cooking fuel while those slightly less poor buy charcoal made from wood in those same forests. The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) reports that in southern Africa, even trees that can be used for fine carving, such as ebony and rosewood, are being cut down and made into charcoal, such is the demand for biomass fuel in this area.

Wood burning in this manner not only causes problems associated with deforestation – there are also wider climate and health issues. The burning of wood fuel by African households is predicted to release the equivalent of 6.7 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere by 2050. Burning of fuel wood claims the lives of an estimated 2 million people every year mostly women and children who inhale the smoke, according to data from The International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR).

The solution: Bamboo

Bamboo is fast growing and native to Africa making it an ideal 'crop' for use as a bioenergy source

In response to the problems posed burning wood for fuel and charcoal production, several African nations and international bodies are searching for appropriate solutions that can be widely applied. One solution that shows a lot of promise is the use of bamboo charcoal as bioenergy. In Ghana, the first phase of a large scale project is underway that will see bamboo charcoal being widely produced and used in place of traditional wood fuel.

The project is being funded by the European Union and INBAR, and represents a partnership between in-country institutes and university programmes. To date 300 micro small enterprises in the program area have been established with over 2,000 growers cultivating bamboo as well as producing charcoal. Some 7,000 low-income local households are expected to use bamboo charcoal as cooking fuel by the close of the project year in 2014.

Why bamboo?

Bamboo is an ideal species for use as a bioenergy source. It is one of the fastest-growing plants on the planet and can be harvested after three years. Bamboo grows naturally across Africa (around 4 percent of forest cover is bamboo) so conditions are already ideal for growing the plant as a crop. The entire bamboo plant can be used to produce charcoal, resulting in limited waste and it has a high heating value which makes it an efficient fuel. Charcoal from bamboo burns longer and produces less smoke and air pollution than ‘natural’ charcoal.

Bamboo charcoal production doesn’t not require any new technology and can be created through controlled burning in standard charcoal kilns. In addition to charcoal, bamboo offers many new opportunities for income generation and can be processed into a wide range of wood products, such as floorboards and furniture.

The benefits

A Ghanian bamboo craftsman - bamboo has a wide variety of applications beyond charcoal production opening up new sources of income generation

There are clear benefits to using bamboo as a bioenergy source. As well as reducing levels of deforestation caused by felling trees for fuel, the initiative also does not seek to radically alter the livelihoods of it’s beneficiaries but rather make their current activities more sustainable.

Encouraging this ‘sideways shift’ in the livelihoods of rural, forest-dependent communities lies at the heart of the work that ITF carries out around Africa. Many ITF projects centre around the cultivation and use of trees that can be harvested as a sustainable alternative to the used of forest trees. These projects not only reduce deforestation but also provide new income sources for beneficiaries.

You can find out more about our projects in Africa or get involved in our work around the world by making a donation, purchasing unique virtual gifts in our e-shop or becoming a volunteer.

Sources:
Burness Communications
New York Times
Newstime Africa

“Chris Holgate of Refresh Cartridges was also keen to convey the wider implications of recycling your printer cartridges rather than throwing them in to landfill.  He states ‘Each year, our partner recycling company prevents approximately 2,500 tonnes of printer consumables entering the waste stream.  They were the first recycler to be awarded the Carbon Trust Standard, their site uses green renewable energy and they continuously strive to ensure that all products used on site are recycled therefore reducing our impact on climate change.  As a company we are also in the process of reviewing our carbon footprint and making proactive steps to reduce it in both our warehouse and local stores.  Refresh Cartridges have also recently switched all their sites to EcoTricity who have a history of supporting the International Tree Foundation and providing ethical green energy supplied predominately from renewables’.”

For more information on this scheme visit the Refresh Cartridges website

A global movement

Earth Day originated in the U.S when, in 1970, Senator Gaylord Nelson determined to infuse the energy of the widespread anti-war movement with a growing public consciousness about air and water pollution. The first Earth Day was great success, uniting environmental groups around the country and encouraging 20 million Americans to take to the streets in massive rallies.

Since the first Earth Day, the movement has gone global and today the Earth Day Network promotes events and inspires action around the World. The focus of Earth Day 2012 is ‘A Billion Acts of Green’ – a global campaign to collect and quantify environmental commitments from simple acts by individuals up to larger organisational initiatives, that reduce carbon emissions and support sustainability.

Tree Planting

The goal is to register one billion actions in advance of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) happening in Rio de Janeiro in June 2012. A large part of the initiative has involved widespread tree planting activities. Some notable contributions so far include:

• China: Roots and Shoots Shanghai planted 600,000 trees across inner Mongolia to preserve depleted rainforests. Educators hosted eco-fairs where students learned about the importance of sustainability.
• Mozambique: the president led a tree-planting initiative in schools across Maputo.
• Avatar Home Tree Initiative: Through a partnership with Twentieth Century Fox and the Avatar Blu Ray and DVD, Earth Day Network and 16 partners planted 1,006,639 trees in 16 countries, directly involving over 31,000 individuals.

In 2011 and 2012, EDN has continued these efforts with The Canopy Project which has the goal of planting another million trees in large-scale tree planting projects supported by sponsors and individual donations and carried out in partnership with non-profit tree planting organisations throughout the world.

You can find out more about Earth Day and pledge your commitment to be part of the Billion Acts of Green by visiting the Earth Day website and making your pledge today.

You can find out more about both opportunities by downloading the relevant role description below

Download Fundraising and Project Support role description (now filled)

Download Editorial Contributor role description

Participants in the Seed Collection and Storage Workshop sort through seeds at a training center in Nganda, Senegal. January 2012

The community-based agroforestry programme is sited in the Kaffrine Region of Senegal where the agrarian population is afflicted by rampant poverty, malnutrition and a deteriorating environment. ITF’s in-country partner, Trees for the Future, are working with local farmers to improve their standard of living and conserve the environment through the planting of beneficial tree species and the development of sustainable agroforestry systems.

Training and Planting

Initial efforts on this programme have been directed towards running workshops and training sessions, as well planting out trees that had been grown by Trees for the Future in the 2011 nursery season. Since the start of this initiative in August 2011, the project has delivered a round of five workshops to educate farmers on proper out-planting techniques and maintenance of the seedlings after they are planted in the field.

After the initial workshops, project leaders conducted follow-up visits with the participating farmers for monitoring and evaluation, technical support, and sharing of the lessons learned. An additional workshop was held on January 26th, 2012, which covered seed collection and storage. Over 20 individuals participated in the workshops and were able to understand the importance of environmental restoration as a means towards increasing their food security.

Live fencing demonstration site that protects the garden from free grazing animals January 2012

After the August workshops, the participants continued maintaining their community nurseries until the rains arrived. Out of the 102,000 seeds of over 12 varieties that were planted in the nurseries, over 84,000 trees were out-planted by 83 farmers in the region.

The workshops laid the groundwork for Kaffrine’s 2012 nursery season, which starts in March. Seed collection is ongoing and additional seeds that have been impossible or difficult to acquire in sufficient quantity will be purchased. In late February and early March, a round of 5 workshops on tree nursery creation and maintenance will be held.

Keep up with this exciting project as it develops over the coming months by signing up to the ITF newsletter (use signup form on the right) or by joining us on Twitter or Facebook

This was the start of St. Barbe Baker’s vision to educate people about the value of looking after our forests and woodlands, and the beginning of a worldwide tree planting network that has grown to become the International Tree foundation, today working throughout Africa and the UK to realise a world where trees and forests flourish and where their vital role in supporting life on earth is fully realised and valued.

Where it all began…

The first 'Watu wa Miti' - Men of the Trees

During his pioneering research as a forester in Kenya, St. Barbe identified the importance of trees to our environment and wellbeing long before the current debates on climate change and deforestation. St Barbe found devastated forests where the native Kikuyu people practised ‘slash & burn’ agriculture. This had a hugely detrimental affect on the environment, the crops, and the people’s livelihoods.

The Masai people called the Kikuyu ‘the forest destroyers’. By working with the Kikuyu people, St. Barbe was able to convince them of the value of replanting & regenerating the land and caring for their environment. The Kikuyu tribe enjoyed many ritual dances, such as one for when they planted beans and one for when they reaped the corn, so St. Barbe said “Why not a dance for tree planting? A Dance of the Trees!”

And so this first Dance of the Trees attracted 3,000 Moran warriors, from which St. Barbe chose 50 volunteers who would become the first ‘Watu wa Miti’ – meaning ‘Men of the Trees’. These men took a solemn oath to uphold and share with their communities the principles and values of planting and caring for trees to save the land from desertification and the people from starvation.

Legacy

Dr Richard St. Barbe Baker

Today, the International Tree Foundation continues the invaluable work that Richard St. Barbe Baker started 90 years ago through the protection, promotion and planting of trees throughout the UK and Africa, focusing on community based forestry. Having planted in excess of 1.5 million trees in the last two years alone, working across the UK and nine African countries last year and delivering direct benefits to over 46,000 people last year – ITF is a modern NGO with a truly unique history. ITF’s Director, Lorraine Dunk says:

“The work of ITF today is at the forefront of community based efforts to establish sustainable forestry and thereby address the devastating impact of our ever-decreasing demand for forest resources. The inaugural ‘Dance of the Trees’ led by our founder St. Barbe is a fascinating reminder of how this work began and of the value of community based partnership working that continues to underpin our work today”.

If  you would like to help ITF continue to build upon the pioneering work of St. Barbe you can get involved in a number of ways including following us on Twitter and Facebook, making a donation, volunteering with us or planting a tree through our family tree scheme

Liam (ELHAP user) helping to put up a birdbox

The project, based in the London Borough of Redbridge, aims to transform an overgrown and unused woodland area into an interactive space that is accessible to all ELHAP users. The final design will divide the woodland into four ‘hubs’ each which will provide different opportunities for learning and play. For example in the fire hub, which has been completed, the users have the opportunity to take part in activities such as fire cooking. ELHAP users have been involved in the planting so far – planting trees, clearing the undergrowth and helping to create a den which forms part of the ‘wild play hub’. We have created the pathways which mean the woodland is wheelchair accessible.

Early successes

ELHAP users at the fire cooking workshop

The ELHAP Heritage Orchard Preservation Project has already produced a number of very encouraging results and the project stakeholders have developed a plan for the woodland which goes far beyond the original plan of regenerating the orchard.

Ten fruiting trees have been planted which will add to the existing orchard area in the woodland. Trees for Cities have also delivered several fun workshops at the site, engaging a total of 44 people.

The transformed site has provided ELHAP users with new opportunities, such as learning about habitats and practical activities such as tree planting, which were previously not something the users would have had the opportunity to do. As the project grows it will benefit several hundred other people in the local area.

Finally, Trees for Cities have already begun the important task of planning for the future use of the site, working with the playground and Vision Redbridge to put together a comprehensive woodland management plan.

Keep up with this exciting project as it develops over the coming months by signing up to the ITF newsletter (use signup form on the right) or by joining us on Twitter or Facebook

Inspirational Women

This day provides us with the opportunity to reflect on the achievements of inspirational women, whose legacies have challenged and shaped the way we perceive the place of women in society. We may think of names such as Emmeline Pankhurst (1858-1928), the British suffragette who dedicated her life to the promotion of women’s rights; Mother Theresa (1910-1997), who devoted her entire life to the service of the poor and dispossessed in Calcutta and who won the Nobel Peace prize in 1979; or Rosa Parks (1913-2005), whose refusal to give up her bus seat to a white man led to some of the most significant civil rights legislation in American history.

Gender inequality: Women and Poverty

Whilst IWD aims to celebrate huge advancements in the push for female empowerment and gender equality, it also serves to highlight the continuing presence of gender inequality that exists largely in the developing world.

Statistics show that around 1.3 billion people (world population 6.7 billion) live in extreme poverty, of which two-thirds are women. Gender inequality has resulted in girls being denied an education, women suffering domestic violence, and women dying needlessly in pregnancy and childbirth due to inadequate healthcare.

Effects of Deforestation

As women are those most affected by poverty, they are also more likely to be affected by environmental problems such as deforestation which is having a big impact on the livelihoods of communities which depend on agriculture for survival. For example in Haiti, the level of deforestation is around 97%, causing huge amounts of top soil erosion each year which drastically lowers the productivity of the land, worsens droughts and eventually leads to desertification of the land. Desertification renders the land useless for agriculture, yet two-thirds of Haiti’s population depends on agriculture to make a living.

Collecting basic necessities such as firewood and water are duties that usually befall women and girls in the developing world. Reduction in forest cover means that they have to walk further and further every day just to survive. In celebration of IWD, CARE International is running the Walk In Her Shoes campaign to highlight this issue and how poverty disproportionately affects women.

ITF also address these issues by funding a series of projects around Africa that support, and promote greater equality for, women and girls through various sustainable forestry initiatives.  You can help support these projects and others like them by getting involved with our work

Introduction to Permaculture – 10th & 17th March 2012

Led by Nicole Freris, permaculture teacher, GP and holistic health practitioner, this course takes a look at the practice of permaculture as an ‘ethical, creative and inspiring response to the global challenges of climate change and peak oil’.

Contact: Vicky Wyer (triangle.garden@ntlworld.com)
Location: Ransom’s Pavilion, (end of) Alexandra Road, Hitchin, SG5 1RB
Further info: www.trianglegarden.org

Practical Permaculture Gardening – 31st March

This course takes a look at permaculture design and how this can be used to create ‘beautiful, productive and wildlife friendly gardens’. The tutor, Pippa Johns, is one of the founding members of the Brighton Permaculture Trust and has over ten years’ experience in designing and creating gardens using Permaculture Design. She is also a diploma tutor for the Permaculture Association.

Contact: misc@brightonpermaculture.co.uk
Location: Brighton, East Sussex
Further info: www.brightonpermaculture.org.uk

Co-operative Membership International Women’s Day: Swap & Shop Till You Drop – 4th March

Daisy Green, a group of women promoting a green economy, will be hosting the event that will bring together 60 local ethical and small businesses selling their homemade and Fairtrade products. Daisy Green will host their signature event The Clothing Swap to encourage the recycling of materials.

Contact: Suzanne Whelan (Suzanne@daisygreenmagazine.co.uk)
Location: The Queen’s Hotel, Leeds
Further info: www.daisygreenevents.co.uk