We thank you for your invaluable support for the reforestation project in the Kinabatangan Sanctuary, carried out in collaboration with local communities. With your help, we are working to restore one of the last remaining forested floodplain ecosystems in Southeast Asia. The project aims to plant 26,250 trees on former oil palm plots, with the goal of restoring degraded forest areas, enhancing biodiversity, and combating climate change.
Today, we would like to update you on an important development. In recent months, exceptionally heavy rainfall has caused major flooding in the Lower Kinabatangan region. All of our planting sites are currently completely submerged, making access and operations impossible for the time being. For safety reasons, field activities have been temporarily suspended.
Please rest assured, this suspension is only temporary. As soon as the water recedes and conditions become safe again, our team will be ready to resume planting operations without delay.
In the meantime, our work continues in other ways. At the Danau Girang Field Centre, the local partner of A Tree for You, the team is actively working on data entry, analysis, and reporting related to the project. We are also closely monitoring the condition of the young trees that were recently planted. Some species, such as Nauclea and Mallotus, are resilient to short-term submersion. However, if the flooding persists, we may need to carry out replanting once the area is accessible again.
We are also in regular contact with the local planting team members, who—although unable to work at the moment—remain fully engaged and motivated to resume activities as soon as possible.
To help you better understand the situation, we have attached aerial photographs showing the extent of the flooding across our project sites.
We want to reassure you: the project has not been cancelled. It is simply on hold, and we are closely monitoring the situation so that we can act quickly when conditions improve. We will continue to keep you informed of all key developments.
Thank you once again for your ongoing commitment to restoring the Kinabatangan ecosystem and supporting local communities.
Amaziasizamoria Jumail Field Manager and PhD Candidate, Danau Girang Field Centre
We thank you for your invaluable support for the reforestation project in the Kinabatangan Sanctuary, carried out in collaboration with local communities. With your help, we are working to restore one of the last remaining forested floodplain ecosystems in Southeast Asia. The project aims to plant 26,250 trees on former oil palm plots, with the goal of restoring degraded forest areas, enhancing biodiversity, and combating climate change.
Today, we would like to update you on an important development. In recent months, exceptionally heavy rainfall has caused major flooding in the Lower Kinabatangan region. All of our planting sites are currently completely submerged, making access and operations impossible for the time being. For safety reasons, field activities have been temporarily suspended.
Please rest assured, this suspension is only temporary. As soon as the water recedes and conditions become safe again, our team will be ready to resume planting operations without delay.
In the meantime, our work continues in other ways. At the Danau Girang Field Centre, the local partner of A Tree for You, the team is actively working on data entry, analysis, and reporting related to the project. We are also closely monitoring the condition of the young trees that were recently planted. Some species, such as Nauclea and Mallotus, are resilient to short-term submersion. However, if the flooding persists, we may need to carry out replanting once the area is accessible again.
We are also in regular contact with the local planting team members, who—although unable to work at the moment—remain fully engaged and motivated to resume activities as soon as possible.
To help you better understand the situation, we have attached aerial photographs showing the extent of the flooding across our project sites.
We want to reassure you: the project has not been cancelled. It is simply on hold, and we are closely monitoring the situation so that we can act quickly when conditions improve. We will continue to keep you informed of all key developments.
Thank you once again for your ongoing commitment to restoring the Kinabatangan ecosystem and supporting local communities.
Amaziasizamoria Jumail Field Manager and PhD Candidate, Danau Girang Field Centre
Closure of the Félix agroforestry project: mixed results and a new support opportunity
Pyrénées-Atlantiques region of France, February 2025
Thank you for supporting Félix’s agroforestry project in the Pyrénées Atlantiques. Your contribution has led to 1,510 trees being planted on his farm to create a sustainable agroforestry system that benefits both the cow herd and the environment.
Despite Félix’s commitment and efforts, the project was unable to achieve all its goals. Tree growth was impacted by technical challenges, including inadequete protection from trampling by cattle, hydromorphic (water saturation of soils) issues on some plots, and difficulties in managing overgrown planting areas. These difficulties have been exacerbated by a lack of work on the ground, partly due to Félix’s involvement in promoting agroecology throughout the region. To date, around 70% of the plantations have survived.
However, these challenges have not dampened his determination. Indeed, Félix has continued his efforts by planting a further 600 metres of biodiversity hedges and transforming his farm into an agroforestry learning centre.
To date, €2,694.99 remains outstanding from the initial budget. Since the project is now closed, we propose to reallocate these funds to a project in Brittany that shares the same values and objectives as Félix: the ‘Agroforestry and animal welfare in Brittany’ project. Just like for Félix,, this new project aims to introduce trees to grazed meadows to create a sustainable agroforestry system. Transforming 30 hectares of grassland by planting 1,869 trees of 28 different species, will deliver the following benefits:
improve the well-being of the cowsby providing areas of shade and a favourable microclimate, just as Félix sought to do for his herd;
regenerate the soil and boost the meadow productivity by improving water infiltration, protecting the grass from drying out, and enriching underground biodiversity;
store carbon, while diversifying production thanks to the different species planted;
create a resilient environment in the face of climatic challenges, while diversifying the farming income, an objective dear to Félix in the Pyrénées Atlantiques.
By reallocating the remaining funds to this project in Brittany, you will be maintaining your initial commitment to agroforestry and animal welfare, with the guarantee of supporting a project that offers sustainable solutions for agriculture and the environment. If you would like your donation to be redirected to another project currently being financed, please let us know by mail before 31 March 2025: contact@atreeforyou.org.
Once again, all our thanks for your generosity and for supporting projects that are shaping farming of tomorrow. Together let’s continue planting trees for a more sustainable future.
Ecuador: monitoring trees planted in 2023 with Kichwa communities
As part of this project, at the request of the villagers, local NGO partner Ishpingo is working in two Kichwa communities – Pukaurku and Pukachikta (San Pedro and Moretal sectors), both located in the Misahualli sector. The project area lies a long way from the city and the population derives its income mainly from farming. There are major socio-economic and environmental issues at stake in this extremely poor farming area, as well as the need to preserve resources, biodiversity, and the resilience of the local population.
Activities began in early 2023 with the setting up of community nurseries at the three replanting sites. All in all, 4,511 timber and 4,679 fruit trees were produced, totalling 9,190 trees ready to be planted at the homes of 40 families. All the trees were planted between September and December 2023.
In early 2024 the focus was on monitoring and maintaining the young trees planted, crucial steps for their proper development. Local technicians visited the beneficiaries’ plots to record three main types of data: the general condition of the plots, the survival rates, and the growth rates.
During the first visit, the farmers were trainined on how to maintain the plantation, especially shade management and crown reduction pruning. The second visit, organised at the end of 2024, provided training on pruning fruit trees and using organic and biological fertilisers. ‘Agrohumus’ organic foliar fertiliser is used to optimise fruit tree growth. It is sprayed on the foliage for immediate absorption and at the base of the trees for a longer-term effect.
The second visit was also an opportunity to see how the survival rates of the trees had changed one year after planting. The results were extremely positive, the survival rates were high!
In the Pukachikta community (San Pedro sector), 100% of the plots monitored had a survival rate of over 80%, and 50% a survival rate of over 90%.
In the Pukachikta community (Moretal sector), 100% of the plots monitored had a survival rate of over 80%, and 50% a survival rate of over 90%.
In the community of Pukaurku, 100% of the plots monitored had a survival rate of over 80%, and 25% a survival rate of over 90%.
Mortality rates have increased slightly compared with the first follow-up,due to drought not human error. Moreover, it is interesting to note how the majority of the beneficiaries are hardworking farmers who have combined the trees with cash crops like cocoa. The significant increase in the purchase price of cocoa beans has encouraged farmers to dedicate themselves to their farms, which has indirectly benefited the trees planted since the plots are being better maintained.
Monitoring will continue in 2025 and survival rates should stabilise. The aim is to maintain a minimum survival rate of 80%.
As part of this project, at the request of the villagers, local NGO partner Ishpingo is working in two Kichwa communities – Pukaurku and Pukachikta (San Pedro and Moretal sectors), both located in the Misahualli sector. The project area lies a long way from the city and the population derives its income mainly from farming. There are major socio-economic and environmental issues at stake in this extremely poor farming area, as well as the need to preserve resources, biodiversity, and the resilience of the local population.
Activities began in early 2023 with the setting up of community nurseries at the three replanting sites. All in all, 4,511 timber and 4,679 fruit trees were produced, totalling 9,190 trees ready to be planted at the homes of 40 families. All the trees were planted between September and December 2023.
In early 2024 the focus was on monitoring and maintaining the young trees planted, crucial steps for their proper development. Local technicians visited the beneficiaries’ plots to record three main types of data: the general condition of the plots, the survival rates, and the growth rates.
During the first visit, the farmers were trainined on how to maintain the plantation, especially shade management and crown reduction pruning. The second visit, organised at the end of 2024, provided training on pruning fruit trees and using organic and biological fertilisers. ‘Agrohumus’ organic foliar fertiliser is used to optimise fruit tree growth. It is sprayed on the foliage for immediate absorption and at the base of the trees for a longer-term effect.
The second visit was also an opportunity to see how the survival rates of the trees had changed one year after planting. The results were extremely positive, the survival rates were high!
In the Pukachikta community (San Pedro sector), 100% of the plots monitored had a survival rate of over 80%, and 50% a survival rate of over 90%.
In the Pukachikta community (Moretal sector), 100% of the plots monitored had a survival rate of over 80%, and 50% a survival rate of over 90%.
In the community of Pukaurku, 100% of the plots monitored had a survival rate of over 80%, and 25% a survival rate of over 90%.
Mortality rates have increased slightly compared with the first follow-up,due to drought not human error. Moreover, it is interesting to note how the majority of the beneficiaries are hardworking farmers who have combined the trees with cash crops like cocoa. The significant increase in the purchase price of cocoa beans has encouraged farmers to dedicate themselves to their farms, which has indirectly benefited the trees planted since the plots are being better maintained.
Monitoring will continue in 2025 and survival rates should stabilise. The aim is to maintain a minimum survival rate of 80%.
Catch up soon for more news from the field!
Thanks to your support, biodiversity is thriving on Chrystophe’s land in the Tarn
Montredon-Labessonié, Tarn region of France, February 2025
Your commitment to reforestation and biodiversity is bearing fruit! In Montredon-Labessonnié, in the Tarn region of France, Chrystophe has undertaken an ambitious reforestation project on a 4.43-hectare plot of land, breathing new life into an area previously suffering from neglect. Thanks to you, this initiative is now blossoming into a veritable sanctuary for nature and local wildlife.
In 2013, after acquiring the plot, Chrystophe found the woodland was extremely closed in upon itself, limiting the development of biodiversity, especially bees.
He decided to take action by redesigning the site and diversifying the species growing there. With the help of A Tree for You, he planted in 2019, 2,800 trees including:
1,050 black alders,
1,550 black locust trees,
200 small-leaved lime trees.
In doing so, Chrystophe has succeeded in creating the right conditions for effective natural regeneration.
After six years, the results are already visible. On the first plot, protected from deer and regularly tended to safeguard growth, the lime trees are thriving. On the banks of a stream, the alders are playing an active role in natural regeneration, despite having had to cope with the vagaries of the weather, especially flooding that damaged some of them. Finally, an area with robinia trees, despite more irregular growth, is showing a good rate of recovery, thanks to replacements made with plants taken directly from the ground.
Chrystophe has adopted an ecosystem-friendly approach, favouring minimal maintenance and sustainable forest management. While the lime and alder trees will be preserved without direct harvesting, the locust trees will be used for controlled production. This management will not only ensure the long-term future of the project but also provide a valuable refuge for local wildlife.
Thanks to your support, Chrystophe has succeeded in transforming an enclosed, impoverished space into a vibrant ecosystem for biodiversity. Now drawing to an end, the project’s objectives have been met and some funding still remains, about 20% of the global budget. The latter will be used to support another project in France: agroforestry and permaculture planting in vineyards in the Ain region. Aurélien and Pierre, two winegrowers in the Ain, are increasingly feeling the impacts of extreme weather events like drought and frost. In response, they have decided to plant 1,510 trees in the middle of their vineyards to improve water cycle management and soil fertility in the face of climate change.
Hence your support will help two planting projects in France! Thank you all so much!
Your commitment to reforestation and biodiversity is bearing fruit! In Montredon-Labessonnié, in the Tarn region of France, Chrystophe has undertaken an ambitious reforestation project on a 4.43-hectare plot of land, breathing new life into an area previously suffering from neglect. Thanks to you, this initiative is now blossoming into a veritable sanctuary for nature and local wildlife.
In 2013, after acquiring the plot, Chrystophe found the woodland was extremely closed in upon itself, limiting the development of biodiversity, especially bees.
He decided to take action by redesigning the site and diversifying the species growing there. With the help of A Tree for You, he planted in 2019, 2,800 trees including:
1,050 black alders,
1,550 black locust trees,
200 small-leaved lime trees.
In doing so, Chrystophe has succeeded in creating the right conditions for effective natural regeneration.
After six years, the results are already visible. On the first plot, protected from deer and regularly tended to safeguard growth, the lime trees are thriving. On the banks of a stream, the alders are playing an active role in natural regeneration, despite having had to cope with the vagaries of the weather, especially flooding that damaged some of them. Finally, an area with robinia trees, despite more irregular growth, is showing a good rate of recovery, thanks to replacements made with plants taken directly from the ground.
Chrystophe has adopted an ecosystem-friendly approach, favouring minimal maintenance and sustainable forest management. While the lime and alder trees will be preserved without direct harvesting, the locust trees will be used for controlled production. This management will not only ensure the long-term future of the project but also provide a valuable refuge for local wildlife.
Thanks to your support, Chrystophe has succeeded in transforming an enclosed, impoverished space into a vibrant ecosystem for biodiversity. Now drawing to an end, the project’s objectives have been met and some funding still remains, about 20% of the initial budget. The latter will be used to support another project in France: agroforestry and permaculture planting in vineyards in the Ain region. Aurélien and Pierre, two winegrowers in the Ain, are increasingly feeling the impacts of extreme weather events like drought and frost. In response, they have decided to plant 1,510 trees in the middle of their vineyards to improve water cycle management and soil fertility in the face of climate change.
Hence your support will help two planting projects in France! Thank you all so much!
Restoring mangroves: teamwork to revive the wetlands of Marismas Nacionales Sinaloa in Mexico
Marismas Nacionales Sinaloa, Mexico, February 2025
Since January 2024, thanks to your support, an ambitious mangrove restoration project is underway in the Marismas Nacionales Sinaloa region of Mexico. This wetland, designated as a Ramsar site of international importance, is the focus of an initiative led by the Mexican organisation Humedales Sustentables A.C., in collaboration with A Tree for You. The objective is to restore 25 hectares of degraded mangroves in the Laguna de Agua Grande and re-establish their essential ecological functions.
Mangroves play a crucial role in protecting coastal ecosystems. They harbour exceptional biodiversity, act as barriers against erosion and storms, capture significant amounts of carbon, and provide vital resources for local populations. Unfortunately, the mangroves in Marismas Nacionales Sinaloa are severely affected by excessive levels of salinity and poor water circulation, which threaten not only this ecosystem but also the services it provides to surrounding communities.
Hydrological restoration work was then launched, including cleaning and unclogging existing tidal channels, as well as digging 600 metres of new channels to improve water flow.
A nursery was also set up to produce 15,000 seedlings of three local species: red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle), white mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa), and black mangrove (Avicennia germinans).
Working together with local communities, especially members of the ‘Triunfo Pesquero fishing cooperative from Ojo de Agua de Palmillas, has proved key to the project. These local inhabitants, trained and educated on the importance of mangroves, actively participate in collecting propagules, restoration work, and preservation actions for these wetlands. Their commitment ensures the sustainability of the efforts undertaken.
In 2025, the project will continue to build on its progress by expanding the restoration area. The work will include planting the 15,000 seedlings produced in 2024 and producing an additional 15,000 seedlings for future campaigns. At the same time, a rigorous monitoring programme will be introduced to assess the impacts of the actions taken. It will include monthly analyses of salinity, temperatures, and water quality, as well as a biannual assessment of sediments. These studies will help adjust strategies-based developments observed.
Your support is essential to the success of this project. By contributing to this initiative, you will be playing a part in restoring a key ecosystem and strengthening the resilience of local populations to environmental changes. Together, we can make sure the mangroves of Marismas Nacionales Sinaloa regain their full splendour and continue to play their vital role for generations to come.
Marismas Nacionales Sinaloa region, Mexico, February 2025
Since January 2024, thanks to your support, an ambitious mangrove restoration project is underway in the Marismas Nacionales Sinaloa region of Mexico. This wetland, designated as a Ramsar site of international importance, is the focus of an initiative led by the Mexican organisation Humedales Sustentables A.C., in collaboration with A Tree for You. The objective is to restore 25 hectares of degraded mangroves in the Laguna de Agua Grande and re-establish their essential ecological functions.
Mangroves play a crucial role in protecting coastal ecosystems. They harbour exceptional biodiversity, act as barriers against erosion and storms, capture significant amounts of carbon, and provide vital resources for local populations. Unfortunately, the mangroves in Marismas Nacionales Sinaloa are severely affected by excessive levels of salinity and poor water circulation, which threaten not only this ecosystem but also the services it provides to surrounding communities.
Hydrological restoration work was then launched, including cleaning and unclogging existing tidal channels, as well as digging 600 metres of new channels to improve water flow.
A nursery was also set up to produce 15,000 seedlings of three local species: red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle), white mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa), and black mangrove (Avicennia germinans).
Working together with local communities, especially members of the “Triunfo Pesquero” fishing cooperative from Ojo de Agua de Palmillas, has proved key to the project. These local inhabitants, trained and educated on the importance of mangroves, actively participate in collecting propagules, restoration work, and preservation actions for these wetlands. Their commitment ensures the sustainability of the efforts undertaken.
In 2025, the project will continue to build on its progress by expanding the restoration area. The work will include planting the 15,000 seedlings produced in 2024 and producing an additional 15,000 seedlings for future campaigns. At the same time, a rigorous monitoring programme will be introduced to assess the impacts of the actions taken. It will include monthly analyses of salinity, temperatures, and water quality, as well as a biannual assessment of sediments. These studies will help adjust strategies-based developments observed.
Your support is essential to the success of this project. By contributing to this initiative, you will be playing a part in restoring a key ecosystem and strengthening the resilience of local populations to environmental changes. Together, we can make sure the mangroves of Marismas Nacionales Sinaloa regain their full splendour and continue to play their vital role for generations to come.
Catch up soon for more news on the project!
France – Trees and meadows: agroforestry and animal welfare in Brittany
The objective vo of this project is to set up an innovative and ambitious agroforestry system on 30 hectares of grazed grassland in Plélan-le-Grand, Brittany. The initiative is part of an agro-ecological transition on the farm to improve animal welfare and the quality of the meadows, so as to increase the grazing time of the dairy herd. It stands out for its innovative and experimental nature:
Scale of the project: it involves almost all the plots of land on the farm, integrating the trees into an overall approach to fodder autonomy.
Diversity of arrangements: the project plans to test different types of agroforestry arrangements, with comparative experimental methods, drawing on the results of research projects and scientific sites up and running elsewhere in France.
Technical innovations: the project is implementing innovative technical solutions for protecting plantations and managing dynamic rotational grazing, especially mobile protection for fodder hedges.
Led by GAEC La Métairie Neuve, together with Agroof, the project is supported by a network of French technical and scientific partners (Collectivité Eau du Bassin Rennais, Agrobio 35, INRAE Lusignan Centre de recherche Nouvelle-Aquitaine-Poitiers, Institut Français de la Vigne, etc.).
Planting 1 869 trees should deliver multiple benefits for the environment, beneficiaries, and the local community:
Improved soil health: contributing organic matter, better structure, boosting water and mineral retention.
Protectingthe water cycle: nitrate filtration, less need for irrigation water.
Enhanced biodiversity: creation of habitats for flora and fauna, development of spontaneous flora.
Creating a favourable microclimate: protection against excess sun, wind, and frost.
Better animal welfare: protection against bad weather and heat stress.
Better quality grassland: staggered development of vegetation, better availability of fodder.
Income diversification: timber, woody fodder, and fruit production.
By virtue of its scale, ambition, and innovations, the Métairie Neuve project could well become a model of sustainable and resilient agriculture, inspiring other regional stakeholders and contributing to Brittany’s agro-ecological transition.
Project type
Agroforestry
Beneficiaries
Three farmers, breeders
Number of trees
1,869 planted and perennial trees by the project end
January 2023: training a GAEC farmer on how to set up an agroforestry project for drought-adapted ruminant farming.
June 2023: diagnosis prior to setting up the project, including a survey of bioclimatic and geomorphological data, a history of the farm, analysis of the socio-economic environment, an inventory of production and technical itineraries, an assessment of logistics and equipment, and a review of regulatory constraints. Soil pits dug to analyse the different soil horizons.
July to September 2023: analysis of the soil pits and soil analyses, completion of a diagnostic report and proposed development plans.
July 2024: co-design workshop attended by the GAEC partners, neighbouring livestock farmers, technicians from Agroof, Agrobio 35, BreizhBocage. and Collectivité Eau du Bassin Rennais, plus a research engineer from INRAE Lusignan and technicians from IFV. The workshop lasted one day, with a morning in the field and an afternoon dedicated to co-designing the project.
August to October 2024: finalising the project design, incorporating the results of the co-design workshop. Drawing up a definitive development plan setting out the tree lines to be planted, modules, strata, choice of species, the fixed and mobile protection measures allowing animals access or not to the woody fodder, as well as mulching and other protection equipment.
Planting:
Winter 2024-2025: planting trees in line with the finalised development plan.
Monitoring and maintenance:
Spring-Summer 2025-2030: monitoring the plantations over five years (n+1 to n+5). Each year, technical and scientific monitoring will assess the growth, development, and health of the trees planted. A management plan in place covers tree formation pruning, trimming, fruit tree pruning, as well as replanting, if necessary.
Planting partner
Agroof is specialising in the study and development of agroforestry systems in France since 2000. It supports agroforestry projects, provides technical training and carries out research and development work in partnership with research bodies, technical establishments, local authorities, as well as a network of farmers and players in the world of agriculture and environmental protection. It is also involved in regulatory developments and the development of digital technologies.
It is with this range of activities that Agroof is committed to the critical development of agroforestry and the support of its various stakeholders. The SCOP relies on the diversity and complementary nature of each person’s skills to carry out projects with a participatory approach.
On the project, Agroof is the technical agroforestry partner of the Métairie Neuve, contributing its expertise, skills and network at every stage, from design to promoting the results.
GAEC Metairie Neuve is a mixed farm rearing dairy cows in Plélan-le-Grand in the Ile-et-Vilaine (35) region of Brittany. The GAEC has been in existence for 43 years. The farm’s total UAA is 185 ha, including 50 ha of permanent crops (maize, triticale, peas and buckwheat) and 135 ha of grassland. The herd comprises 165 dairy cows (PH/Jersiaise), including 140 milking cows and 25 sucklers.
In 2020, the farmers decided to radically change the farm’s conventional orientation. They decided to convert the entire site to organic farming, changing their practices and livestock. To take their thinking on agroecology one step further, they decided to switch to agroforestry on all the plots from 2020, and embarked on a dynamic rotational grazing system.
They are beneficiaries of the agroforestry project, the aim of which is to adapt the plots of land as effectively as possible to enable the herd to graze in good conditions for as long as possible throughout the year, against a backdrop of increasingly unpredictable weather conditions.
Budget
The total budget to be raised is €107,841.30, i.e. €57.70 per tree planted, broken down as follows:
90% allocated to the planting project, broken down as follows:
Engineering and monitoring costs borne by Agroof: €22.74
Plants, equipment, protection, tree protection fencing (equipment and installation): €23.48
Collection, monitoring and communication costs for A Tree For You (9.90%): €5.71
and 10% (€5.77) for A Tree for You structural costs.
The project is co-financed by the Pacte Haies scheme for 504 of the 1,869 trees. This co-financing covers the cost of mulching, protection, fencing, soil preparation and planting these 504 trees, for a total of €22,831.20, i.e. €12.22 per tree.
The beneficiaries finance the soil preparation, planting and maintenance themselves, at a cost of €10.74 per tree, i.e. a total cost of €20,073.06.
