Tree Aid
Encyclopedia
Tree Aid is a forestry focused development charity providing funding and on the ground training and support to local communities in the Sahel of Africa. Tree Aid has a head office in Bristol, UK, and a West African office in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Projects are run in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Ethiopia and Mali.
- 7.2 million trees have been planted across Africa
- Hundreds of thousands more trees have naturally regenerated through improvements in natural resource management
- over 450,000 villagers have benefitted from improved incomes from tree products meaning better health, education and life chances
- over 1,000,000 people have benefitted from improvements in soil and water conservation
- last year alone we were working with over 350 communities in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana and Mali
- the survival rate of trees in communities supported by TREE AID is 60-70% compared with an average of 40% on other tree planting initiatives
- in achieving all this, we have spent around £9.5m since 1987 - that's around £21 for each person who has directly benefitted from our work and £1.30 per tree planted.
The project works by helping villagers analyse and develop options for themselves, building on their existing knowledge of resources and markets. These enterprises provide long term solutions to alleviating poverty, whilst also encouraging sustainable management of natural forest resources which has a positive effect on the environment.
History
TREE AID was established in 1987 in response to the famine in Africa, by a group of foresters in a Bristol pub. They wanted to find a long term solution to poverty which could be delivered sustainably to the areas of Africa which need it most, believing that trees could significantly reduce the vulnerability of these communities to drought and famine in the future.Achievements
TREE AID has ensured that:- 7.2 million trees have been planted across Africa
- Hundreds of thousands more trees have naturally regenerated through improvements in natural resource management
- over 450,000 villagers have benefitted from improved incomes from tree products meaning better health, education and life chances
- over 1,000,000 people have benefitted from improvements in soil and water conservation
- last year alone we were working with over 350 communities in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana and Mali
- the survival rate of trees in communities supported by TREE AID is 60-70% compared with an average of 40% on other tree planting initiatives
- in achieving all this, we have spent around £9.5m since 1987 - that's around £21 for each person who has directly benefitted from our work and £1.30 per tree planted.
Village Tree Enterprises
The Village Tree Enterprise projects work with local community groups to develop businesses from non-timber tree products such as seeds, nuts, fruits, leaves, flowers and fibres. The projects utilise indigenous trees which have been adapted to the arid climate of the region, and so present low risk and sustainable returns for small enterprise develop by poor rural families and particularly women.The project works by helping villagers analyse and develop options for themselves, building on their existing knowledge of resources and markets. These enterprises provide long term solutions to alleviating poverty, whilst also encouraging sustainable management of natural forest resources which has a positive effect on the environment.