“The biggest challenge here is charcoal burning,” explains Eliza Apolo. “People cut the trees carelessly because they have no money to take their children to school or even to buy food for their homes.” But things are changing in this community.

Deforestation has pushed our natural world to the brink. Landslides, droughts and floods are worsening. But it’s not too late. We can harness the power of trees to protect our future.

“When disaster strikes, it’s the women and the children who suffer the most. By including women in the reforestation, they’ll take care of the trees because they’ve been taught about the dangers of deforestation.”

Trees pre-date us spectacularly. Not only have they stood through the seasons while kingdoms have risen and fallen, they have survived from before the rise of the dinosaur to long past their extinction.

Did you ever stop to wonder how some of the old hedges acquired their fantastic shapes — thick, tangled horizontal boughs with vertical trunks, perhaps now fully grown trees?  

This International Women’s Day, we’re celebrating the incredible women in Africa who are at the forefront of environmental conservation.

This month I travelled to Kenya to visit the communities and local organisations with whom we are working and to spend time with our amazing local team to see the impact of our work on the ground.

With training and resources, smallholder farmers in Mbunga sub-county, Uganda are transforming their lives and restoring agricultural landscapes by planting trees and keeping bees.

Pests and diseases in their many guises, have a major impact on our native trees and woodlands and the wildlife associated with them. 

Some organisations focus on dealing with carbon – the cause of the climate crisis. Others deal with the consequences – working to support climate-vulnerable communities. ITF is responding to both. 

In West Pokot County, Kenya, the scars of rampant deforestation for charcoal production run deep. But thanks to the wonderful support of people like you, the community is planting and growing trees that will help restore degraded landscapes and build resilience.

Your love of trees helped communities to harness the power of trees to restore forests, create sustainable livelihoods and grow a greener, healthier planet for us all.

Zai pit is a simple and affordable technique that can help farmers in dry areas like Kitui County to improve their livelihoods by helping them grow their crops more successfully.

Last month, a team of twelve dedicated volunteers helped craft and install 500 eco-friendly cooking stoves to ease pressure on Kenya’s Upper Imenti Forest.

Meet Onesmus, one of many smallholder farmers in Kitui County, Kenya who’s embracing the power of trees to grow a resilient future.

We celebrated this year’s National Tree Week by giving away 3,000 free native saplings to over 1,000 households across Oxfordshire through the Garden Tree Giveaway!

The question is how we can bend the graph quickly? How many species can we save? And how can we mitigate the impacts for those who will suffer the most?

We listened to families and leaders and two things struck me most powerfully – the desire of the Batwa to maintain their connection with their ancient traditions and their determination to find a way forward in the toughest of circumstances.

Support Uganda’s indigenous Batwa community to plant trees and create lasting change today. For one week only, all donations will be generously matched by the Big Give. That's DOUBLE the impact for people and planet this festive season.

In the heart of south-western Uganda, lies Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. A lush green sanctuary with over 160 tree species and nearly half of the world’s endangered mountain gorillas.