Our Year With The Koungheul Forest Garden Project
Here are the bleak facts: We’ve destroyed almost 50% of the world’s tropical rainforests. We’ve lost 50% of the topsoil on this planet. Yes, it’s sobering but one positive outcome is that this knowledge continually inspires our company to make a change in the global environment. Not only does our Forests For The Future™ initiative plant a tree for every product sold (for an amazing total of five million trees and counting!), we also launched our Forest Garden Project last year. With our partners Trees For The Future, we not only plant trees to benefit humans on a global level but - on the most accessible and personal level - we are feeding and empowering families who need help.
In order to provide food to families and produce cash crops, Forest Garden Projects grow small food forests. Last year, we chose the Koungheul district of Senegal to make a start - an area where many families are barely surviving on the food that is currently produced. Most farmers have never gone to school. The crops that they have planted in the past - maize and peanuts - have turned farms into a barren landscape. Many have to leave the village during the offseason to feed themselves and their families. We hope to emphasize the importance of tree planting and turn futures around with the Koungheul Forest Garden Project.
With the start of the Koungheul Forest Garden Project, we first trained 250 participant farmers in proper tree nursery establishment technique and, as result, individual nurseries are growing successfully. Thorny trees have been planted and are growing quickly to protect the crops from livestock destruction. Nitrogen-fixing and soil enriching trees have also been planted to promote soil health. Crops being grown include the pigeon pea, a shrubby tree crop that yields nutritious bean pods and animal fodder even within its first year! With a successful Year One under our belts, we look forward to more news about future crops.
If you want to support our Forest Garden Project, we ask you to continue to take part in our Forests For The Future™ initiative which plants a tree for every product sold. So far we’ve planted over five million trees - more than any other skin care brand has ever achieved. In addition, during the month of April (Earth Month!), we are also planting a tree for every share and view of our 5 Million Trees video. Watch and share this video and we’ll plant a tree.
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Celebrating 5 Million Trees Planted!
