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Driving Meaningful Change

Our sustainable development impact

View our 2021 Impact Report to look at all of the areas

World Tree is making a difference for people and the planet

An infographic of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
United Nations SDGs

We are a new
kind of company

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were created by the United Nations to focus the time, energy and attention of organizations around the world on 17 key issues. World Tree seeks to impact 7 of these SDGs.

Paul Hawken, a leader in the environmental movement, points out that human beings have successfully monetized the destruction of mother earth. It’s time to reverse that trend. We are part of a movement, conscious capitalism, which believes that financial incentives can be used as a powerful force for good. Focus on profits alone will not create the kind of world envisioned by the United Nations. Yet, when profits are aligned with right action, regeneration and collaboration, we can make a real impact.

A visual title that says, "No Poverty".

Regenerative economics

Farming is where the heart and soul of World Tree lives. Serving, supporting and empowering farmers is our prime directive.

According to the Independent Research Group, Eco-Resorative, farm incomes have dropped 48% since 2013 with the average loss of over $20k for a US farm in 2019. Negative profits have become the norm for farmers with per acre profitability ranging from only $0.10 to $2.00 per acre per year as reported by Rebecca Harrell Tickell of Big Picture Ranch. Farmers who partner with World Tree in the Eco-Tree program have the potential for much greater profitability for their farms.

World Tree’s programs provide generous economic incentives to farmers. The Eco-Tree Program gives trees to farmers for free, trains them to be growers and we share profits 50-50. That represents significant new income to farmers and a positive impact on their communities.

 

A visual title that says, "Gender Equality".

We are a female founded enterprise

World Tree was founded by Wendy Burton. Our company includes women at every level – from on the ground visiting farmers, to senior management to board members.

Female founded companies are typically under-capitalized compared to their male counterparts. Not so with World Tree. In 2020, World Tree became the third most highly funded company on WeFunder – the largest equity crowdfunding platform in the United States. We are the most successful female founded company ever on Wefunder.

A visual title that says, "Decent Worth and Economic Growth".

Creating jobs for farmers in 5 countries

In rural communities, farming is where the work is. World Tree’s programs provide new revenues to farmers and creates new jobs. One of our farmers in Guatemala estimates that every 4 acres planted creates one new job in their community.

World Tree is implementing verification programs to measure our impact in communities especially in the area of job creation.

A visual title that says, "Responsible Consumption and Production".

Providing a sustainable
source of timber

The United Nations predicts that global consumption of wood will  more than double by 2050. Wood is a beautiful, natural resource that we all use in our daily lives. Yet, it can come at a cost. Deforestation is happening at a rate of 10 million hectares per year, destroying our forests, depleting our soils and diminishing our ability to deal with climate change.

What does it look like to meet the demand for wood responsibly? It starts with distinguishing between a forest and a crop. At World Tree we grow trees as a crop – for the purposes of timber production – not for reforestation.

The Empress Splendor tree has a built-in super-power: the ability to regenerate. The Empress Splendor tree regrows from the stump after harvest – regenerating multiple times without the need to replant.

A visual title that says, "Climate Action".

Drawing down CO2
to reverse global warming

The biggest contributor to global warming is carbon dioxide (CO2). Carbon pollution is an invisible enemy, causing a global rise in temperatures.

Nature has provided us with a simple solution to cleaning the air: carbon drawdown. Plants and trees draw carbon from the air via photosynthesis. They use carbon as the building blocks of life.

A positive impact on carbon drawdown

The Empress Splendor tree uses a particularly powerful form of photosynthesis, which fuels its fast growth rate.

A recent report by NatureBank found the Empress Splendor to be one of the most efficient trees for sequestering carbon on the planet. One acre of Empress Splendor trees can sequester between 15-30 metric tons of carbon per acre per year over a 10 year growing cycle.

A visual title that says, "Life on Land".

Replenishing soil and supporting pollinators

The large leaves of the Empress Splendor tree don’t just absorb carbon – they also fix nitrogen from the air. This unusual property of the tree is what makes it especially potent for us in land restoration projects. When the nitrogen-rich leaves fall to the ground in winter, they provide a natural fertilizer to the soil.

Nitrogen fixation services reduce fertilization costs by $7.69 per acre from the nitrogen rich leaves dropped by the Empress Splendor. We have witnessed soil transform over a matter of years in areas where Empress Splendor trees are planted.

The trees also have pink, nectar rich flowers with a vanilla-jasmine scent. The flowers are highly attractive to pollinators such as honeybees. One acre of tree will support bees to produce over 100 jars of honey a year and pollination services of Empress Splendor flowers have shown to increase economic yields by $27.64 per acre.

A visual title that says, "Partnerships for the Goals".

Uniting investors
and farmers

World Tree has developed a truly collaborative business model that unites investors and farmers. We work with the full spectrum of investors – from large institutions looking for impactful new opportunities to the everyday Joe who is wants to align his finances with his values. We work with small and large farmers in countries across United States and Latin America.

Together, this network of farmers, investors, foresters, scientists and business partners is changing the world.

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