Backyard Tree Planting Project

The Backyard Family Tree Planting Project is a thoughtful and practical approach to addressing the challenges posed by urbanization and environmental degradation. By encouraging individuals, specifically villagers, to plant and nurture trees in their own backyards, one is not only contributing to increased green canopy but also generating a range of benefits for both the environment and the local community. Here are some of the key benefits and positive aspects of the project:

• Localized Impact: Planting trees in individual backyards allows for a distributed approach to increasing green coverage. This can lead to a significant cumulative impact, even if each participant only plants a couple of trees.

• Cleaner Air: Trees play a crucial role in absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen through photosynthesis, which helps in improving air quality by reducing the concentration of pollutants.

• Cooler Environment: Trees provide shade and help in cooling the local environment. This can mitigate the urban heat island effect and create more comfortable living conditions, particularly in hot climates.

• Soil Erosion Prevention: Tree roots help bind the soil, reducing erosion caused by rainfall and wind. This is particularly important in areas prone to soil erosion.

• Biodiversity Support: Planting a variety of trees can contribute to local biodiversity, providing habitats for birds, insects, and other wildlife.

• Community Engagement: The project encourages community participation and collaboration. It brings people together around a common goal, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility for the environment.

• Fruit Production: Providing fruit-bearing saplings not only adds to the green canopy but also offers tangible benefits to the villagers in the form of fresh fruit for personal consumption or even for sale, potentially generating additional income.

• Long-Term Sustainability: By involving villagers in the tree planting process and making them responsible for tree care and fruit harvesting, it is promoting a sense of ownership that can lead to the project's long-term sustainability.

• Scalability: Since the project operates at an individual level, it can be easily scaled up or replicated across different regions and communities.

• Education and Awareness: The project serves as an educational opportunity, teaching participants about the importance of trees, environmental conservation, and sustainable practices.

• Adaptability: The project can be adapted to suit the specific needs and preferences of different communities. The focus on local engagement ensures that the initiative aligns with the culture and lifestyle of the participants.

Seek & Connect realised the importance of these benefits to the community and decided to undertake this project in 2022, starting in the Sunderbans area of West Bengal, India. Seek and Connect aims to keep it simple by executing it at an individual level, maintainable on long term, scalable and sustainable. They motivate villagers to subscribe to growing a couple of trees in their backyard. The villagers prepare the pit for tree planting, and saplings are given that are big enough to bear fruit in a year or two. These will be harvested for consumption or sale. This increases the green cover, and the villager gets the fruits of his labour, literally. The project delivers both environmental and social benefit to the Amphan devastated areas who lost a significant tree cover during that time and continue to do so due to severe cyclonic storms. The first was to connect with local NGO’s who were working in the area but not necessarily in this field. The idea was accepted as they all realised the benefits of this project. The main NGO’s involved are Champa Mahila Samiti and Kalyan Sangha, both doing great work in the area. In 2022, the first plantation commenced with 500 fruit tree saplings mainly Mango and Indian Blackberry handed out to people from economically backward communities. This involved convincing them to participate in this initiative and creating the social awareness on expanding the green cover in their surroundings and the opportunity to have an income from the yield. In 2023 the project initiated the planting in Sushunia, Bankura, West Bengal. It is a remote tribal village and regular cultivation of crops is difficult. Planting fruit trees is a better alternative. Five types of fruit saplings were distributed, including Mango, Lichi, Guava, Jackfruit and Indian Blackberry. The villagers made the pits and were guided in the plantation for maximum growth and fertility. The Tree Plantation project is funded by donors who donate for the cause through the Give portal.

It's important to consider the resources needed for implementing and maintaining the project, including the availability of suitable tree species, educational materials, and any necessary support for villagers who may have limited experience with tree planting. Also, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms can help track the project's impact over time.

Overall, the Backyard Family Tree Planting Project has the potential to make a meaningful and positive contribution to environmental sustainability while directly benefiting the participating communities.