The environmental situation the world is in is getting more and more critical. Travel agencies and tourists alike have the ability to make a significant contribution to the preservation of the environment for future generations. Local communities can play a crucial role in easing the climate biodiversity issue by protecting their local environment and aiding in the regeneration of natural landscapes that have been negatively harmed by global warming.
G Adventures is introducing its brand-new “Trees for Days” concept, bringing environmental preservation and community empowerment together to create significant change through travel and tourism.
Since the small group adventure operator backdated the planting of trees for each day a traveler joined a tour starting on January 1, 2023, more than one million trees have already been planted. Soon, travelers will be able to continue making a difference by using their G Adventures account to buy trees anytime they travel, even after their G Adventures trip has ended.
As of right now, one tree will be grown in each traveler’s honor for each day they spend on a G Adventures tour, reducing carbon emissions and bolstering support for 17 local communities throughout the globe. The areas where trees are being planted have either recently or severely suffered from deforestation brought on by climate change. The travel industry may contribute to environmental protection and open up new revenue opportunities for locals by encouraging the growth of sustainable tourism businesses in these regions. Most frequently, this will benefit and empower marginalized Indigenous populations, women, and young people.
It is anticipated that more than 1.5 million trees will be planted annually through collaboration with G Adventures’ non-profit partner Planeterra, which transforms lives through community tourism, and Reforest, which actively promotes tree planting and forest conservation activities worldwide. The number of trees that have grown and where their roots have been planted may both be tracked by travelers by logging into their G Adventures accounts.
The goal of the Trees for Days project, according to G Adventures founder Bruce Poon Tip, is to increase the positive influence that travelers make while on G Adventures trips while also aiding communities that are suffering from the effects of climate change.
“Supporting local communities is ingrained in our DNA as the founders of community tourism. I’m excited to announce our Trees for Days program in collaboration with Planeterra and Reforest given the pressing need to save our world. The community-based tree planting projects have been sourced in large part by our nonprofit partner Planeterra, and Reforest, in which we made an investment last year, is providing the digital platform.
When they travel, our customers care about making a difference, and they can do that by choosing a tour with G Adventures. Together, we will talk about how community tourism may benefit local communities via reforestation and other good local effects, which will help the earth recover.
The Trees for Days project, according to Jamie Sweeting, president of Planeterra, is a win-win situation for all parties.
“Planting trees helps conserve biodiversity by providing essential habitats, food, and shelter for species, as well as by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and promoting healthier landscapes and ecosystems including wetlands, grasslands, and forests.
Additionally, promoting the development of local settings makes them more resistant to catastrophic weather events, protecting and even fostering the growth of local people and their sources of income, particularly in rural areas. A reduction in the consequences of excessive heat is another benefit of more trees, according to Sweeting.
The Trees for Days program is a great example of a corporate reforestation program, according to Daniel Walsh, founder of Reforest, who also noted that it will provide customers with a very engaging and tailored way to connect with that impact in addition to doing some real good for the environment, nature, and local communities.
The ability to feel ownership of the trees planted for them is a crucial benefit of this program, according to Walsh. “Travelers increasingly want to feel like they are leaving a positive footprint,” she says.
The following are the 17 projects that the Trees for Days program is funding:
- Argentine organization Acción Andina
- Bolivia’s Acción Andina Bolivia
- Peru’s Acción Andina
- Sri Lanka’s Ambadandegama Reforestation Initiative
- Madagascar’s Ankilahila 1 ReforestationKenyan landscape restoration on Mount Kenya
- Nepal’s Indrawati Reforestation
- Growing of Argan and Caper Trees in Morocco
- Tanzanian reforestation on Mount Kilimanjaro
- Honduras’ La Tigra Agroforestry
- Nepal’s Mahelmudi Reforestation
- El Khair Women’s Coop’s Maskarat Nursery
- Uganda’s Nakaseke Community Reforestation
- Madagascar’s Soa Zara Reforestation
- Kenyan reforestation in the Tana Delta
- Thailand (Thailand) Reforestation
- Mozambique’s Zalala Titi Reforestation
Source- Travel daily