Grow with Green: A Tree for Every Customer, Every Shipment, Every Time2024-03-05T16:26:30+00:00

the green tree initiative

LET’S TALK

    WE PLANT A TREE

    Automatically, for each and every shipment, customer, and employee
    in an effort to combat deforestation and promote sustainable development.

    0
    trees donated since 2019

    “We are very excited to be able to bring this program to our customers and international partners. As contributors to the global environment, it is our responsibility to incorporate sustainability into our operational practice. It is only through relentless and ongoing effort can we begin to make a difference.”

    THOMAS JORGENSEN, PRESIDENT & CEO

    WHY TREES?

    Trees are habitat for biodiversity and create much of the planet’s oxygen.  They help combat climate change and play a large role in agroforestry and in helping farming families improve their land quality and productivity.

    Trees help to lessen the wind that might affect crops, cool off ground temperatures, and trap moisture and nutrients in the soil so that food crops grow better in the improved microclimate.  Trees also provide fodder for animals, create living fences, and can be a source of sustainable fuelwood production.

    on average, a forest garden offsets 144.64 metric tons of carbon dioxide per acre of land over 20 years.

    WHAT IS AGROFORESTRY?

    Agroforestry is a model that integrates trees into agriculture, landscapes and is particularly appropriate for resource-poor farmers in developing countries. In addition to providing fruits, berries, and nuts, trees provide environmental services that are essential for the world: they can improve the fertility of degraded soils (through nitrogen fixation), prevent wind and soil erosion (contributing to improved fertility), increase water penetration into underground aquifers, and contribute to improvements in the growing environment.

    FOREST GARDEN ADVANTAGE

    (VS. CONVENTIONAL AGRICULTURE)

    Forest Gardens are also known as polyculture, permaculture, agroforestry, etc… and define a multi-layered, multi-purpose distribution of vegetables, bushes, and lots of trees designed to optimize productivity of a piece of land. It is a farming system that thinks vertically, not just horizontally.

    Forest gardens stand in stark contrast to modern industrial agriculture which encourages farmers to plant one or few crops. Time and time again, these monocultures contribute to chemical-intensive, environmentally-destructive, and deadly consequences for biodiversity and long-term human prosperity.

    TREES

    Conventional agriculture is the #1 cause of deforestation, while forest gardens can develop over 2,500 trees per acre.

    NUTRITION
    Increase in dietary diversity and access to nutritious fruits and vegetables; more than 12 types of vegetables grown in every Forest Garden.
    ENVIRONMENTAL
    Forest gardens sequester an average of 62.8 metric tons of Carbon per hectare which revitalizes soil and enhances biodiversity.
    CHEMICALS
    Forest gardens eliminate the need for chemicals, unlike chemical-dependent conventional agriculture.
    EARNINGS PER ACRE

    Forest gardens generate $1,000 – $2,000 per acre with a mix of fruit and vegetables.

    YEAR-ROUND

    Produce harvest and trade crops for all 12 months of the year.

    FEMALE EMPOWERMENT
    Forest gardens encourage females to lead, work together and promote self-reliance amongst all farmers; unlike maize, millet, and other staple cash crops where women do most of the work while transport and sale remains male-dominated.
    FOOD SECURITY

    Dozens of food crops are able to supply families for all 12 months of the year.

    WHAT TYPE OF TREES MAKE UP FOREST GARDENS?

    MULTI-PURPOSE FAST-GROWING TREES

    • Acacia angustissima (Acacia, Prairie Acacia, White Ball Acacia)

    • Acacia mellifera (Acacia, Blackthorn, Senegalia mellifera)

    • Acacia nilotica (Acacia, Vachellia nilotica, Gum Arabic Tree)

    • Acacia polyacantha (Acacia, White Thorn)

    • Acacia senegal (Acacia, Senegalia senegal, Gum Acacia, Gum Arabic)

    • Albizia chinensis (Albizia, Chinese Albizia)

    • Albizia lebbeck (Albizia, Siris, Lebbeck, Woman’s Tongue Tree)

    • Albizia schimperiana (Albizia, Forest Long-Pod Albizia)

    • Azadirachta indica (Neem)

    • Calliandra calothyrsus (Calliandra)

    • Cassia siamea (Senna siamea)

    • Delonix regia (Flamboyant, Flame Tree, Royal Poinciana)

    • Faidherbia albida (Acacia albida, Apple-Ring Acacia, Winter Thorn)

    • Gliricidia sepium (Gliricidia, Cacao de Nance, Madre de Cacao)

    • Jacaranda mimosifolia (Jacaranda, Fern Tree)

    • Leucaena diversifolia (Leucaena, Red Leucaena, Wild Tamarind, Leucaena Petit Feuille)

    • Leucaena leucocephala (Leucaena, White Leadtree)

    • Leucaena pallida (Leucaena; synonyms are: dugesiana, esculenta, oaxacana, and panilulata)

    • Morus sp. (Mulberry)

    • Parkinsonia aculeata (Parkinsonia, Jerusalem Thorn)

    • Senna siamea (Senna, Cassia Tree, Cassia siamea)

    • Senna spectabilis (Senna, Cassia fastigiata, Cassia excelsa, and various Cassia species)

    • Sesbania sesban (Sesbania, Egyptian Rattle Pod)

    • Sesbania grandiflora (Hummingbird Tree)

    • Sesbania macrantha (Sesbania, Mlindaziwa)

    FRUIT & NUT TREES

    • Adansonia digitata (Baobab, Monkey-Bread Tree, Upside-Down Tree)

    • Anacardium occidentale (Cashew)

    • Balanites aegyptiaca (Desert Date)

    • Citrus sp. (Citrus, Orange, Lemon, Lime, Tangerine, Grapefruit, Pomelo, etc.)

    • Cocos nucifera (Coconut)

    • Cola acuminata (Cola, Red Cola, Kola Nut)

    • Dacryodes edulis (African plum, Bush Plum, Safou, Prune)

    • Elaeis guineensis (Oil Palm)

    • Garcinia kola (Bitter Kola)

    • Irvingia sp. (Bush Mango)

    • Macadamia integrifolia (Macadamia Nut)

    • Mangifera indica (Mango)

    • Monodora myristica (Groundnut Spice, Calabash Nutmeg)

    • Moringa oleifera (Moringa, Drumstick Tree, Horseradish Tree)

    • Persea americana (Avocado, Pear)

    • Phoenix dactylifera (Date Palm)

    • Psidium guajava (Guava)

    • Ricinodendron heudelotii (Njangsa, Njasang)

    • Tamarindus indica (Tamarind)

    • Ziziphus mauritiana (Jujube, Goa)

    SHRUBS, VINES & FRUITING PLANTS

    • Agave sisalana (Sisal)

    • Cajanus cajan (Pigeon Pea)

    • Carica papaya (Papaya)

    • Coffea sp. (Coffee)

    • Dovyalis caffra (Kai Apple)

    • Jatropha curcas (Jatropha, Physic Nut)

    • Musa spp. (Banana and Plantain)

    • Passiflora edulis (Passion Fruit)

    • Punica granatum (Pomegranate)

    • Solanum betaceum (Tamarillo, Tree Tomato)

    • Tephrosia vogelii (Fish Bean)

    • Theobroma cacao (Cocoa)

    TIMBER TREES

    • Acrocarpus fraxinifolius (Pink Cedar)

    • Cedrela odorata (Spanish Cedar)

    • Cordia africana (Codria, Cordia abyssinia)

    • Gmelina arborea (Gmelina, Beechwood, White Teak)

    • Grevillea robusta (Grevillea, Silky Oak)

    • Khaya anthotheca (East African Mahogany)

    • Khaya senegalensis (Mahogany, Bois Rouge)

    • Maesopsis eminii (Umbrella Tree)

    • Milicia excelsa (African Teak)

    • Podocarpus sp. (Podocarpus)

    • Prunus africana (African Cherry, Prunus, Pygeum, Red Stinkwood)

    • Tectona grandis (Teak)

    • Vitex keniensis (Vitex, Meru Oak)

    GARDEN & FIELD CROPS

    • Allium sp. (onion, leek, garlic)

    • Beta vulgaris (Beet)

    • Brassica sp. (Cabbage and other brassica species such as Collards, Kale, etc.)

    • Capsicum and Piper sp. (Pepper; all types; hot and sweet)

    • Citrullis lanatus (Watermelon)

    • Colocasia and Xanthosoma sp. (African yams)

    • Cucurbita sp. (Includes pumpkin, butternut squash, etc.)

    • Daucus carota (Carrot)

    • Lactuca sativa (Lettuce)

    • Manihot esculenta (Cassava)

    • Phaseoulus vulgaris (Beans; various types)

    • Solanum lycopersicum (Tomato)

    • Solanum melongena (Eggplant)

    • Solanum tuberosum (Irish Potatoes)

    • Spinacia oleracea (Spinach)

    • Zea maize (Maize)

    Green Worldwide Shipping’s planting partner Trees for the Future (TREES) is an international development 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that meets a triple bottom line standard.  Through their Forest Garden Approach, Trees for the Future trains farmers to plant and manage Forest Gardens that sustainably feed families, raise incomes by 400 percent, and end deforestation. Since 1989, TREES has planted over 150 million trees.   For more information, visit https://trees.org

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