Himalaya has been awarded a certificate by the US-based international tree-planting organization, Trees for the Future , for supporting the planting 49,750 trees in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. We have been working with Trees for the Future since 2008. The partnership falls under the 'Plant-a-Tree Partnership' programme. Under this model, businesses commit to plant certain number of trees for every product they sell, service they provide or any other quantifiable basis on which they choose to make a contribution.
A mix of fruit, fodder and nitrogen-fixing trees have been planted in these areas with the involvement of local communities. The trees provide these communities with food and fodder for cattle. They also help revitalize soil health. Each tree on an average offsets 50 pounds of carbon dioxide per year.
 Says Gangisetty, leader of the Green Tree Foundation that is spearheading the tree planting initiative in Andhra Pradesh,”The tree planting drive has encouraged farmers to plant more trees in their fields and backyards. Backyard horticulture gives them fruit while kitchen gardens give them a regular supply of vegetables. More income is generated through these projects since the farmers sell some of the vegetables in the local market. Tree planting on agricultural fields also prevents soil erosion and acts as a wind barrier. As a result of this program, there is an increasing awareness of sustainable farming.”
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