One hire...one tree!

Watch a video about the Atlantic Rainforest restoration project!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YZL6h1s6w0&feature=player_embedded

FAQS



What is the Plant a Billion Trees campaign?
The Plant a  Billion Trees campaign is an unprecedented major restoration initiative launched  by The Nature Conservancy in 2008 to restore Brazil's Atlantic Forest. On the  brink of extinction due to pressures of urban expansion, agriculture, ranching
and illegal logging, much of what remains of the forest is found in isolated
fragments, which are often too small to support a full array of its  extraordinary biodiversity. Through Plant a Billion Trees, we will reforest 2.5 million acres and connect more than 12 million acres in new forest corridors.

One billion trees is a pretty big goal—how is The Nature Conservancy
going to accomplish this?
It is ambitious, but no tropical forest  on Earth has come closer to total destruction. Our approach takes advantage of  the best available science to ensure that the forests we restore and establish  are viable ecosystems that provide multiple benefits and high quality habitat.  Here are some of the strategies we employ:

• Build a strong coalition with a diverse range of partners
• Create enormous forest corridors by integrating the following strategies:
  economic incentives for conservation, creation and effective protection of
  public and private protected areas, large-scale reforestation and sustainable
  use of natural resources
• Work with landowners and their associations to facilitate compliance with
  environmental laws
• Support the development of carbon sequestration projects that make
  conservation sense and can co-finance reforestation activities
• Plant tree seeds and saplings to initiate forest restoration and enrich
  plantings to increase diversity in severely degraded areas
• Assist natural regeneration—including fencing off sensitive areas to prevent
  damage by cattle, installing barriers to reduce the spread of fire, and
  installing perches for birds and bats that spread seeds—to accelerate natural
  forest regeneration in areas that do not require plantings.  Founded in 1951, The Nature Conservancy has the means, experience and track  record to work closely with partner organizations to meet this important  goal.

How does restoring and protecting Brazil's Atlantic Forest impact
people, including me?
Tropical forests provide several important  benefits, including freshwater protection, clean air, crop pollination, wood and  food. The Plant a Billion Trees campaign will help improve important watersheds  that provide clean drinking water and hydroelectricity to millions of people, as well as protection for thousands of species of native plants and animals. People will also benefit on a global scale–the trees planted by the campaign will capture atmospheric carbon equivalent to the emissions of one million cars every year.

Does one dollar plant one tree?
The one dollar per tree  support offered by the campaign does not cover the full restoration costs, but the Conservancy is able to leverage your donated dollars through partnerships with municipal and state governments, local NGOs and the private sector to cover any additional costs.

Are there Nature Conservancy staff actually working in Brazil?
Yes! The Conservancy has staff and scientists based in Brazil who work with a network of in-country partners--including Brazil’s federal government, the state governments of Parana and Sao Paulo, the Extrema municipality, forestry companies, local cooperatives, non-governmental organizations and local communities. We offer assistance and technical guidance using previous Conservancy projects as a model to accelerate results and minimize costs. We also provide technical and financial support to the Atlantic Forest Reforestation Pact, a diverse coalition of 151 organizations focused on encouraging a long-term restoration strategy for this endangered area.