There are so many good reasons to get planting...
Browse our 100 reasons and learn everything there is to know about trees. Share your favourite reason with your friends and help us raise awareness about the importance of trees. Together, let’s #PLANTFORLIFE.
001
PLANTFOR
ECOSYSTEMS
PLANTFOR
ECOSYSTEMS
Squirrels, rabbits, plants and insects live interdependently in hedgerows.
Cutting down a tree damages an entire ecosystem, the repercussions of which are still not fully known.
002
PLANTFOR
PEACE
PLANTFOR
PEACE
Planting trees is a way of ensuring there are food, water and resources around so that habitats can be created, and people can remain on their land instead of fleeing climate change. Since ancient times, the olive tree and its branch have been symbols of peace and reconciliation.
003
PLANTFOR
BEES
PLANTFOR
BEES
The trees and other plants that grow in the forest provide food for bees throughout the year thanks to their staggered flowering times. More than 75% of global food crops, including fruit and vegetables, are dependent on animal pollination.
004
PLANTFOR
SOLINE & FLORENCE
PLANTFOR
SOLINE & FLORENCE
Soline and Florence are very lucky to be growing up in the countryside. But even marvelling at a small green space, wherever it is, has a big impact.
005
PLANTFOR
LANDSCAPE
PLANTFOR
LANDSCAPE
In France, 11,500 km of hedges are lost every year, destroying not just the fauna and flora they house, but diminishing the beauty of our landscapes, too.
Let’s bring them back to life and reconnect with the hedgerow tradition by planting trees with the Fonds pour l’Arbre initiative.
We need to get hedgegrowing!
006
PLANTFOR
SOILS
PLANTFOR
SOILS
From the black earth of Ukraine and the sands of Australia to the wetlands in the Altai and the slopes of the Himalayas, soils are precious. They are infinite sources of information and a vital resource that we all share. We must preserve them.
007
PLANTFOR
OXYGEN
PLANTFOR
OXYGEN
Long considered one of the lungs of our planet, the Amazon rainforest now produces more CO2 than it absorbs due to deforestation.
In Peru, Lotty works hard every day to preserve existing trees in an area four times the size of Paris in the Amazon rainforest.
008
PLANTFOR
HYDRATION
PLANTFOR
HYDRATION
There is a link between irrigated land and hydrated population. In the Amhara region of Ethiopia, planting trees has improved the infiltration of rainwater in the soil. This greatly improves the irrigation of market-gardening crops.
009
PLANTFOR
SHADE
PLANTFOR
SHADE
Major cities are going to become increasingly prone to heatwaves. A small green space in a city can be up to 7°C cooler than the ambient temperature.
Preserving urban green spaces is an issue that affects us all.
011
PLANTFOR
BIODIVERSITY
PLANTFOR
BIODIVERSITY
Over 40% of tree species in Europe are endangered. By planting trees and local species, the Foundation is embracing biodiversity.
010
PLANTFOR
AGRICULTURE
PLANTERPOUR
AGRICULTURE
"Trees planted near agricultural land offer many environmental benefits: they provide simile, reduce erosion, increase soil fertility, lower water tables, lessen the risks of salinization, and help stabilize water supplies."
012
PLANTFOR
EROSION CONTROL
PLANTFOR
EROSION CONTROL
Tree windbreaks are the pillars of the land, playing an essential role in reducing the damage caused by storms and wind erosion.
In Konya, Turkey, we planted 30,000 trees on the borders of agricultural land.
The soils are now protected from the wind and are fertile once more: the topsoil can be cultivated and the earth retains its moisture.
013
PLANTFOR
FAMILY
PLANTFOR
FAMILY
Men, women and children sometimes tell stories in the shade of trees. And families of squirrels, green woodpeckers and bees also congregate upon the branches and tops of these same trees.
There’s a lively buzz around trees when everyone can share such precious moments…
014
PLANTFOR
HABITAT
PLANTFOR
HABITAT
Hedgerows are an invaluable source of raw materials when our four, six, eight and one thousand-legged friends want to build habitats.
Planting trees means creating housing for hundreds of animal species; it’s rather like building a large hotel!
015
PLANTFOR
WILD ANIMALS
PLANTFOR
WILD ANIMALS
Amazon is home to 10% of the world's known wildlife species. But deforestation, poaching, climate change, fires put the lives of all these animals at risk... Planting trees guarantee them a house and food to live and reproduce.
016
PLANTFOR
CULTURE
PLANTFOR
CULTURE
For 17 years now, we’ve been supporting Royaumont Abbey by helping to preserve its historic gardens. This place is a constant source of inspiration for us and undoubtedly for tourists and artists too.
017
PLANTFOR
COMMUNITIES
PLANTFOR
COMMUNITIES
The work the nursery carries out is collaborative.
In Burkina Faso, for example, there are nurseries employing women and young people. There, relationships are created that help empower local communities.
This reduces migration from rural areas.
018
PLANTFOR
THE CLIMATE
PLANTFOR
THE CLIMATE
The world has lost 178 million hectares of forest since 1990: a surface roughly the size of Libya. Forests absorb around two billion tonnes of carbon dioxide every year. Sustainably managing our forests can help mitigate and adapt to climate change.
019
PLANTFOR
BEAVERS
PLANTFOR
BEAVERS
Beavers love wood. They depend on it for their survival.
They create shelters for their families by building wooden lodges out of branches, twigs and leaves.
They also have healthy appetites!
020
PLANTFOR
ECONOMY
PLANTFOR
ECONOMY
In Morocco, planting argan trees has created jobs for 2,000 people. In Ecuador, planting native trees has meant more fruit is available to trade.
Reforesting also leads to the creation of sustainable economies within communities themselves.
021
PLANTFOR
BUTTERFLIES
PLANTFOR
BUTTERFLIES
Every winter, the precious monarch butterfly migrates all the way from North America to Mexico.
For 9 years, we planted trees with the WWF in Mexico, restoring the monarch butterfly’s habitat-friendly ecosystem, endangered for so long by deforestation.
022
PLANTFOR
TOGETHERNESS
PLANTFOR
TOGETHERNESS
For over 30 years now, more than one million people have planted trees for us across the world, from Mexico to Russia, Cameroon and many other locations.
Together, with our hands in the soil, we take action, create something new, and enjoy the experience of a job well done.
023
PLANTFOR
THE FUTURE
PLANTFOR
THE FUTURE
Trees mark the passing of time. For thousands of years now, societies around the world have been relying on neighbouring forests for food, fuel, and healing ingredients. Nature is crucial to human existence, good quality of life, and the future of generations to come.
024
PLANTFOR
KIDS
PLANTFOR
KIDS
Climbing, jumping, playing,tree is a source of infinite imagination and an incredible playground for all children generations.
025
PLANTFOR
EARTH
PLANTFOR
EARTH
Pachamama!
In the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador, Pachamama is the Goddess of the Earth for the Kichwa-speaking people of Sarayaku, and Mother Earth of humans, fauna and flora.
The relationship between these people and the Earth is unique and a constant source of harmony!
In 2011, the Foundation planted trees with the Sarayaku people.
026
PLANTFOR
FRUIT
PLANTFOR
FRUIT
Apples, pears, apricots, all kinds of nuts or edible leaves. Trees are a real source of food and income. In Mexico, we have planted the Mayan Walnut, the ultimate food tree.
027
PLANTFOR
CAMP FIRES
PLANTFOR
CAMP FIRES
Since the dawn of time, campfires have been burning all over the world. We often make music and tell stories around a fire; it’s a great way to (re)connect with life… and with yourself!
028
PLANTFOR
FUN
PLANTFOR
FUN
The forest is a huge open-air playground and sports field. You wouldn’t think it, but there’s nothing like a walk through the undergrowth to help you learn about biodiversity!
029
PLANTFOR
BIRDS
PLANTFOR
BIRDS
Making a nest, courting on a branch, squabbling over an earthworm... Trees are a refuge for 75% of bird species! A real challenge for our winged friends to preserve our forests.
030
PLANTFOR
SPIRIT
PLANTFOR
SPIRIT
In many countries, trees are revered as magical beings believed to harbour spirits. In India, local communities and Hindu monks hold a deep reverence for tree spirits. In ancient beliefs, cutting down a tree could anger a deity and lead to famine or poor harvests.
032
PLANTFOR
ROOTS
PLANTFOR
ROOTS
"In the undergrowth, the famous Wood Wide Web, a network of hundreds of kilometres of mycelium, makes available incredible underground resources via the roots. Trees teach us solidarity." Tarik Chekchak (IFs)
033
PLANTFOR
EARTHWORMS
PLANTFOR
EARTHWORMS
Earthworms are sometimes called soil engineers. And the more earthworms there are, the better it is for the soil. Not only do worms aerate the earth, but their droppings contain a concentrated version of the nutrients required by plants, and shrubs and trees then find these nutrients easy to absorb. We love them!
034
PLANTFOR
NESTS
PLANTFOR
NESTS
Birds use the branches as a perch or dormitory, but not only. Bluebird squats in the cavities dug by the woodpeckers. The brown creeper lives in the protected spaces behind the bark. All parts of the tree are used for cosy little nests.
035
PLANTFOR
JOBS
PLANTFOR
JOBS
Forest rangers are the everyday heroes of our woodlands.
All over the world, they head out each morning to protect our forests from poaching, timber trafficking and deforestation. We would like to thank them for all they do.
037
PLANTFOR
GAMES
PLANTFOR
GAMES
Diversify your leisure time by playing with wooden games is good. Be careful about where you buy them is even better. Just look for local craftsmen or products with a quality label.
038
PLANTFOR
OCEANS
PLANTFOR
OCEANS
Froms ants to whale, it’s just one step in the great ecosystem of terrestrial life. Oceans and forests are intimately linked. Planted along rivers, trees are protective like big brothers. They filter water from the soil and preserve the oceans.
039
PLANTFOR
WALKS
PLANTFOR
WALKS
040
PLANTFOR
BREATH
PLANTFOR
BREATH
Awake senses in the Land of the Rising Sun. Shinrin-yoku (or forest bath) is a common practice. It consists to take a walk in the undergrowth and soaking up everything that surrounds us. Observe, smell, touch, savour, listen...
045
PLANTFOR
WEATHER
PLANTFOR
WEATHER
Faithful protector, tree tempare vagaries of the weather on our land and atmosphere. Over the Amazon rainforest, the wild sky is tamed by trees in an incredible cycle. Sebastião Salgado, a famous photographer, take fantastic picture of this.
047
PLANTFOR
MAGIC
PLANTFOR
MAGIC
Magical and sometimes invisible creatures hide in the enchanted forests of France and beyond. If you look carefully, you might even meet them. Plant trees with us and help us create a future for this fantastic world.
050
PLANTFOR
DAMAGED FORESTS
PLANTERFOR
DAMAGED FORESTS
Threatened by deforestation, wildfires, disease, and extreme weather events, more than 10 million hectares of forest were lost each year between 2015 and 2020. Yet forests are home and refuge to a vast range of biodiversity and are essential in the fight against climate change.
031
PLANTFOR
WATER
PLANTFOR
WATER
Trees play a key role in water's natural cycle by regulating rainfall and maintaining soil humidity. Forests reduce the risk of erosion, flooding, and landslides, as they root sediment in place and funnel rainfall underground.
052
PLANTFOR
RAIN
PLANTFOR
RAIN
Forests are vital to the hydrologic cycle (rain and water systems), and they maintain some of the world's most fragile soils
036
PLANTFOR
CITIES
PLANTFOR
CITIES
Trees properly placed around buildings can reduce air conditioning needs by 30% and can save 20–50% in energy used for heating. // Carefully positioned trees can reduce a household’s energy consumption for heating and cooling by up to 25%.
060
PLANTFOR
MEMORIES
PLANTFOR
MEMORIES
041
PLANTFOR
WIND IN THE LEAVES
PLANTFOR
WIND IN THE LEAVES
061
PLANTFOR
LOVE
PLANTERPOUR
LOVE
Nest for families birds, shelters for couple of squirrels or cooing doves, inspiration for romantic poets, often planted for the birth of a child … Trees are silent witnesses of a thousand and one love stories.
042
PLANTFOR
CREATION
PLANTFOR
CREATION
043
PLANTFOR
SWINGS
PLANTFOR
SWINGS
044
PLANTFOR
COWS
PLANTFOR
COWS
063
PLANTFOR
MEDICINE
PLANTFOR
MEDICINE
Forests is an open-air pharmacy for those who know about it, because it is a source of medicinal plants. The US National Cancer Institute has established that 70% of plants useful for cancer treatment grow only in tropical forests.
046
PLANTFOR
DEMOCRACY
PLANTFOR
DEMOCRACY
048
PLANTFOR
MUSIC
PLANTFOR
MUSIC
049
PLANTFOR
COFFEE
PLANTFOR
COFFEE
051
PLANTFOR
NAPS
PLANTFOR
NAPS
053
PLANTFOR
FREEDOM
PLANTFOR
FREEDOM
066
PLANTFOR
FLOWERS
PLANTFOR
FLOWERS
Traditionnally associated with Hanami festivities, the cherry blossom is part of a centuries-old phisolophical trend, a symbol for the Japanese and an emblem of an entire nation.
054
PLANTFOR
SLOWNESS
PLANTFOR
SLOWNESS
055
PLANTFOR
MONKEYS
PLANTFOR
MONKEYS
The exclusively arboreal orang-utans are solitary creatures that build their nightly nests 20 metres above ground in the treetops! In the daytime, they move from tree to tree on the lookout for food (primarily fruit), covering long distances as they go.
056
PLANTFOR
FOOD
PLANTFOR
FOOD
057
PLANTFOR
ALICE
PLANTFOR
ALICE
067
PLANTFOR
BIRTH
PLANTFOR
BIRTH
Trees are symbols of life in many societies. The ancient Celts of present-day Scotland and Wales planted a tree for each child born into the world, in order to maintain ties between the earthly and divine aspects of the soul.
058
PLANTFOR
AMAZONIA
PLANTFOR
AMAZONIA
More than 20% of the world’s oxygen is produced in the Amazon Rainforest
059
PLANTFOR
JAMES
PLANTERPOUR
JAMES
069
PLANTFOR
NUTS
PLANTFOR
NUTS
Up to 3,000—that’s the astonishing number of hazelnuts a squirrel, that familiar little forest creature, can hide away to stock up for winter. It’s even believed that squirrels have developed a kind of mental map to help them remember all their hiding spots.
062
PLANTFOR
ROBIN HOOD
PLANTFOR
ROBIN HOOD
Robin Hood was an outlaw who stole from the rich to give to the poor. He lived hidden away in Sherwood Forest and the forest of Barnsdale with his band of Merry Men.
064
PLANTFOR
REMY
PLANTFOR
REMY
Rémy Estavil, a farmer in France's Drôme region, transitioned to agro-forestry, planting 1,300 trees to feed his animals and protect them from bad weather, while helping to enrich the soil thanks to the tree roots that harvest rainwater deep underground.
065
PLANTFOR
INSPIRATION
PLANTFOR
INSPIRATION
068
PLANTFOR
TODAY
PLANTFOR
TODAY
070
PLANTFOR
PERMACULTURE
PLANTFOR
PERMACULTURE
Permaculture principles recommend planting some types of trees among vegetable crops to enrich the soil.
071
PLANTFOR
MUSHROOMS
PLANTFOR
MUSHROOMS
Mushrooms help trees absorb some nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphates. They also protect tree roots from parasites that live in the soil. In return, mushrooms source some of the sugars contained in trees' roots.
073
PLANTFOR
GROWTH
PLANTFOR
GROWTH
Planting trees is a fantastic development opportunity on many levels: the return of biodiversity and renewed soil fertility vital for agriculture, the creation of jobs linked to planting activities, and the engagement of young people through awareness-raising initiatives.
072
PLANTFOR
POLAR BEARS
PLANTFOR
POLAR BEARS
Because forests absorb around two billion tonnes of carbon dioxide each year, sustainably managing them can help mitigate climate change. Planting trees contributes to tempering global warming, and reducing the melting of the ice caps, where polar bears live.
077
PLANTFOR
DREAMS
PLANTFOR
DREAMS
In many cultures, forests are deeply connected to spiritual values, beliefs, and wisdom. For the Indigenous peoples of the Amazon, the forest is a living being with consciousness, made up of all the beings that inhabit it. Animal, plant, mineral, spiritual, and cosmic—it is a whole world of intercommunication that exists within our forests
074
PLANTFOR
RED RIDING HOOD
PLANTFOR
RED RIDING HOOD
075
PLANTFOR
TREE HOUSES
PLANTFOR
TREE HOUSES
For the hunter-gatherer Korowai people of Indonesia, their natural surroundings play a crucial role. The houses here are made from wood, bamboo, and leaves, and are built in the treetops far out of reach of mosquitoes and other parasites that dwell on the forest floor.
076
PLANTFOR
MOTHERS
PLANTFOR
MOTHERS
078
PLANTFOR
TREE HUGS
PLANTFOR
TREE HUGS
Sylvotherapy is a type of alternative medicine, the most on-trend practice of which involves hugging trees to absorb their vital energy. This practice is said to have positive effects on mental well-being.
079
PLANTFOR
HEALTH
PLANTFOR
HEALTH
Between 2004 and 2012, Doctor Qing Li conducted a study into the benefits of sylvotherapy: a stronger immune system, lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels, improved concentration and memory, better cardiovascular health, and a higher metabolism.
080
PLANTFOR
LEMURS
PLANTFOR
LEMURS
According to a study conducted by the IUCN and Global Wildlife Conservation in Madagascar, 95% of lemurs are endangered as a result of deforestation, making them the world's most endangered primate with a total of 105 species out of 111 under threat.
081
PLANTFOR
RESSOURCES
PLANTFOR
RESSOURCES
086
PLANTFOR
SCIENCE
PLANTFOR
SCIENCE
Recent studies show the intimate ability of trees to protect themselves from their attackers by releasing chemicals in their leaves. And even stronger, these superheroes are able to send airborne signals to birds rushing to this invasive insects feast. The tree doesn’t give up and have so much things to tell us !
082
PLANTFOR
HISTORY
PLANTFOR
HISTORY
083
PLANTFOR
ADJO
PLANTERPOUR
ADJO
084
PLANTFOR
SERENITY
PLANTFOR
SERENITY
085
PLANTFOR
SEEDS
PLANTFOR
SEEDS
088
PLANTFOR
SPRING
PLANTFOR
SPRING
We love spring and its sense of renewal, watching nature come back to life… Trees begin to bud, new leaves appear, flowers start to bloom, and animals emerge from hibernation.
And with the arrival of brighter days, the light feels so much more cheerful…
087
PLANTFOR
READING
PLANTFOR
READING
089
PLANTFOR
MANKIND
PLANTFOR
MANKIND
090
PLANTFOR
AIR
PLANTFOR
AIR
Trees store carbon dioxide in their fibers helping to clean the air and reduce the negative effects that this CO2 could have had on our environment. in one year a mature tree will absorb more than 48 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release oxygen in exchange.
091
PLANTFOR
WATER CYCLE
PLANTFOR
WATER CYCLE
092
PLANTFOR
FARMERS
PLANTFOR
FARMERS
093
PLANTFOR
DISCOVERY
PLANTFOR
DISCOVERY
094
PLANTFOR
ELEPHANTS
PLANTFOR
ELEPHANTS
Elephants eat tree leaves, bark, and twigs. Because of their under-effective digestive systems, most of the seeds they eat are evacuated in their excrement. This means that as they wander on the lookout for food, they carry these seeds over long distances, spreading them wherever they go.
095
PLANTFOR
BEAUTY
PLANTFOR
BEAUTY
097
PLANTFOR
STORIES
PLANTFOR
STORIES
096
PLANTFOR
CHOCOLATE
PLANTFOR
CHOCOLATE
Dark, milk, white, in bars or finely crafted… chocolate delights the taste buds of young and old alike! It comes from the cocoa bean, which grows on the cacao tree—a small tropical tree that requires very specific conditions to thrive: an average temperature of 25°C, 85% humidity, and bright yet filtered light.
098
PLANTFOR
EDUCATION
PLANTFOR
EDUCATION
099
PLANTFOR
RIVERS
PLANTERPOUR
RIVERS
Forest buffer zones around lakes and streams act as a filtering system, reducing the amount of sediment, agricultural chemicals and pesticides in the watercourses. The loss of this filtering system results in high levels of sediment and dissolved minerals in rivers and streams.
100
PLANTFOR
LIFE
PLANTFOR
LIFE
Forests are a source of food, shelter, fuel, clothing, and medication for a number of peoples. Around 1.6 billion people – including approximately 70 million from indigenous cultures – rely on forests for their survival.
