For every $1 donated to veritree in Kenya, 4 trees are planted, sequestering approximately 496.41 lbs of CO2 per tree over their lifespan with an 80% survival rate, while restoring approximately 43 square feet of land at a density of 10,000 trees per hectare.

The DDC team has been impressed by veritree’s leadership and their ability to translate their experience from tentree into impactful reforestation projects. Since their start in 2019, the team has focused on innovative ways to restore ecosystems, using technology to track and verify their progress. But since they’re a young organization, we don’t yet know how they’ll handle big challenges in the future. You can learn more about their team here.

Mission: "Elevate restoration & unlock investment in nature."

Vision: “Make saving the planet simple & reliable.”

Values:
• Act with Integrity
• Raise the Bar
• Relentless in Action
• Disagree, but Commit
• Optimistic by Nature

More information on their approach can be found here.

veritree helps restore forests by planting trees through their partners (eg. EarthLungs Reforestation Foundation in Kenya) and using technology to track their growth. This makes sure the trees survive and help the environment for a long time. They also work with local communities by creating jobs, like taking care of the trees or helping with farming projects that boost the local economy. While their technology helps make things more efficient and clear, their main goal is simple: plant trees to fight deforestation and protect our planet.

veritree’s tree planting and ecosystem restoration approach is designed to work in many places! They’ve already succeeded in countries like Canada, the USA, Kenya, Senegal, Rwanda, and Tanzania, showing they can adapt to different environments and challenges.

veritree uses blockchain technology to validate each project and make sure the operations are transparent and verifiable. They also work closely with local communities to make sure their projects solve local problems like illegal logging and poverty while respecting local culture.

It can take time to build relationships and adjust to new areas, but their track record in different countries proves they’re ready to keep growing and helping more places.

veritree works with local organizations to restore forests and create systems where trees and crops grow together, providing both environmental and financial benefits. They partner with community groups to set up projects where people can earn money by selling things like fruits and nuts from the trees or bee products from the provided hives. In places like Senegal and Kenya, Veritree helps farmers save money through special programs, loans, and seed banks. This makes it easier for them to take care of their land and become less dependent on outside help. While veritree gives extra support in the beginning to start and monitor projects, the goal is to help communities become self-sufficient and ensure the forests thrive for years to come.

While veritree helps communities to become self-sustaining, the projects still need initial outside funding for training, infrastructure, and monitoring.The process of reaching full self-sustainability, where the local economy can support the reforestation efforts without further external investment, is still developing. Achieving full self-sustainability takes time, usually a few years, as communities gradually shift to new income sources tied to the restored forests.

veritree knows that things like bad weather, changes in government, or even people relogging the land for other uses can sometimes threaten their tree-planting projects. To keep this from happening, they employ careful planning before planting starts. This includes making sure the land is legally protected, checking for any dangers to the trees, and involving local people in the work and making sure they benefit— through jobs generations or income alternatives—veritree helps make sure they care for the trees and land.

Even with all this planning, some risks are impossible to avoid, especially in regions with unstable political climates or where there is heavy pressure to use the land for farming. veritree works with local leaders and governments to make sure the projects are as strong as possible, but sometimes challenges are out of their control.

As a for-profit social benefit company, veritree doesn’t share detailed financial records with the public, like audited statements. However, they have said that over 85% of the money they receive goes directly to their partners who plant the trees. They’ve also shared some details about costs for specific projects, like mangrove planting. But without full financial records available, it’s hard to completely confirm how all the money is used.

veritree uses transparency technologies to keep track of their tree-planting projects and share progress with supporters. Through their Corporate Partner Portal (CPP) (example report), donors can see regular updates that include photos of the trees, GPS locations, and blockchain Verification for added trust. This helps everyone verify that the trees are planted where they’re supposed to be and are growing well.

veritree also uses tools like soil sensors (here), drones, and other technologies to gather important data, which is shared with stakeholders. While this system works well, they could improve transparency by making some of this data available to the public, not just to their partners. Additionally, offering more frequent project updates to the general public would further enhance their openness.

veritree provides updates on progress in near real-time through their Corporate Partner Portal (CPP) (example report). These updates include photos of the trees being planted, the number of trees (with details about the types of trees), GPS locations, information about the planting team, and even links to blockchain records. They also post detailed reports that show how the land is being used, how healthy the soil is, how many trees are surviving, and more. If you're curious about their technology, you can find more details here.

veritree was founded in 2019 as an offshoot of tentree, a popular consumer apparel brand, and was incorporated as a separate entity in 2020. As of now, the organization has been operational for approximately 4 years.

veritree has planted over 67 million trees since its inception in 2019, contributing significantly to global reforestation efforts (demonstrated here). These projects span across several countries, including Kenya, Senegal, and Rwanda.

veritree’s technology and platform are relatively new; they’ve been demonstrated to be effective for 4 years.

veritree embodies its core values with exceptional clarity through its commitment to transparency, innovation, and community engagement. The organization demonstrates transparency by using advanced technologies like blockchain and real-time data tracking to ensure all project information is Verifiable and accurate. This commitment to integrity is evident in their transparent approach to restoration efforts.

Their value of innovation is reflected in the use of cutting-edge monitoring technologies and the integration of socioeconomic benefits into their projects. veritree's actions align closely with their values, as seen in their ambitious goal of planting 1 billion trees by 2030, all while ensuring long-term sustainability and community involvement.

veritree's big goal is to "plant 1 billion trees by 2030 with over an 80% survival rate." This goal is aimed at improving lives, capturing carbon, feeding people, and enhancing biodiversity. Their goal is measurable and ambitious. You can read more about their big goal at this interview with the CEO.

veritree estimates that it will cost approximately $300 million of corporate investment to plant 1 billion trees by 2030 with an over 80% survivability rate. While the cost is relatively clearly defined for this specific goal, further details on how these costs are broken down (e.g., for different regions or types of projects) would enhance the clarity and precision of this estimate.

$1 plants 4 trees, sequestering up to 496.41 lbs of CO2 per tree and restoring up to 43.06 square feet of land in Kenya.

veritree quantifies its outcomes through several measurable metrics, including the number of trees planted, carbon sequestered, and hectares of land restored. 

veritree also employs a comprehensive set of monitoring technologies, such as dendrometers, soil sensors, trail cameras, bioacoustic monitors, eDNA samples, drone mapping, and satellite imagery, to track environmental outcomes. They also work with universities like the University of British Columbia, McGill University, and the University of Alberta to create models to study the results of their work. This helps them understand and improve the impact they’re making! Read more about their measurable impact here.

veritree uses a clear and easy-to-follow system to track and verify the progress of their tree planting projects.  They utilize their tech stack to track critical environmental metrics. This data is securely tokenized and stored on the blockchain, ensuring transparency and preventing data manipulation. Local community members play a big role too—they use an app to take pictures of the trees they plant, showing where and when they were planted. veritree monitors all inbound data to ensure the project is executed as planned. .

To keep everyone updated, veritree shares detailed reports with their partners, showing how many trees survive (example) and how the projects are progressing. They even go back and check on the trees several times over three years to make sure they’re growing well and adapt plans as needed. This way, they ensure the trees are healthy and the forests thrive for a long time!

veritree addresses some root causes of deforestation by planting trees and restoring damaged land, but much of their focus is still on solving the immediate problem of tree loss. 8.75% of the trees they plant are part of agroforestry projects, which help local communities develop alternative incomes like beekeeping and sustainable farming, and address the economic drivers behind deforestation. While this supports local economies, larger systemic changes, such as national policies or global economic shifts, are not the main focus of veritree's work.

veritree’s economic model shows a relatively self-sustaining approach by generating socioeconomic benefits for local communities through agroforestry, and leveraging technology for transparency and long-term investment. While the model is designed to keep running smoothly, it still depends on initial funding and how well local communities’ activities succeed. So, it’s not fully independent yet but has strong potential to grow more self-sustaining over time.

veritree’s restoration approach works alongside other methods, helping to solve challenges without getting in the way of different solutions. 

veritree works as a helper, not a boss, in reforestation projects. They don’t do everything themselves—instead, they provide tools and technology to make their local partners’ jobs easier and more effective. This lets their partners focus on planting trees and restoring land without wasting time or money. veritree also shares helpful data and works closely with their partners to improve their tools so they support new ideas and better solutions. They make sure their tools are the right fit for each project to bring about positive change.

veritree works closely with local communities in their reforestation efforts, making sure local knowledge is used in planning and carrying out projects. Many of the project leaders are people from the area, which helps ensure the work is respectful of local cultures and meets community needs. Veritree involves communities at every stage, from planning to monitoring, and this approach creates jobs and generates income through agroforestry.

Our vetting has found no evidence of negative impacts on Indigenous populations associated with veritree's projects. 

veritree collaborates closely with local NGOs and Indigenous groups to secure Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) before commencing any project. This approach helps ensure that Indigenous rights are upheld and that the projects contribute positively to the communities involved. They also hire people from the local community and include their knowledge and ideas in the project plans, making sure the projects help the community and don’t cause any harm.

veritree’s projects are all about helping nature and local communities thrive together. They work with local people to take care of the forests, using technology to verify tree health and fix problems if they arise. By creating jobs and opportunities, such as planting trees that also provide food sustenance and income, veritree gives communities a reason to protect and care for the forests for years to come.

However, because veritree is a newer organization (founded in 2019), there isn’t enough historical data yet to fully prove that these efforts will endure over 100+ years. While their plan is promising, it will take time to see how well these forests grow and survive in the future.

veritree understands that reforestation projects can sometimes have unintended negative effects, like planting the wrong species in unsuitable areas, which could lead to problems such as higher tree death rates, soil degradation, loss of biodiversity, or even increased risks of flooding, landslides, or wildfires. To prevent this, veritree carefully picks the best trees for each area and makes sure they’re planted in the right spots. They also use technology to monitor the health of the environment in real time, so they can quickly make adjustments if needed.

While reforestation can come with risks, veritree’s careful planning and smart monitoring make those risks very small. Plus, there’s a much bigger chance of great things happening, like healthier forests and happier wildlife!

When we consider what else could be done with the land, we have not identified any other approach that would be clearly superior for carbon removal and ecosystem restoration.

veritree's goal to plant 1 billion trees by 2030 is extremely audacious. Planting this many trees would represent a significant contribution to global reforestation efforts, combating climate change through large-scale carbon sequestration, and fostering biodiversity.

Plus, they're also aiming to team up with over 100,000 businesses to help them be more eco-friendly, which could encourage even more companies to take care of our planet.

veritree is working to bring back forests around the world, which is a big challenge because of problems like cutting down trees for farming, illegal logging, growing cities, and climate change. To fix this, we need solutions that last a long time. veritree uses smart technology to make sure they can track the progress of their work, so it’s clear they’re doing what they promise. Even though their approach promotes transparency, restoring forests everywhere is still hard and needs ongoing funding, community support, and cooperation across different sectors to succeed.

veritree has shown a strong ability to find creative solutions to challenges in reforestation and ecosystem restoration. They use advanced tools to track and monitor their tree-planting efforts, making sure everything is transparent and easy to verify. In addition to using technology, veritree works closely with local communities by hiring residents and setting up programs like village savings funds to support long-term economic growth. This mix of innovative technology and community involvement helps veritree tackle both environmental and social challenges, making them a leader in sustainable solutions.

Deforestation is an urgent challenge that poses an immediate threat to the planet's ecological balance and climate stability. The world has already lost 46% of its forests, and this deforestation contributes significantly to climate change by reducing the planet's capacity to sequester carbon. Forests play a crucial role in capturing carbon, maintaining biodiversity, and supporting the livelihoods of millions of people. The degradation of these ecosystems not only accelerates climate change but also disrupts local communities that rely on forests for resources and income.

veritree’s work addresses this urgent need by providing a technological platform that enables and enhances reforestation efforts, ensuring that reforestation projects are not only implemented but also monitored and verified for their long-term success. The challenge of restoring forests is immediate, as delays in action could lead to irreversible damage to ecosystems and a worsening of the climate crisis. Therefore, this challenge is classified as an "immediate threat," underscoring the need for prompt and effective solutions to restore and protect global forest ecosystems.