Earth Day
Every year on the 22nd April, Earth Day is celebrated and marks the anniversary of the ‘modern environmental movement’. Over 190 countries are engaged in this event, and over one billion individuals are involved. This years theme is Invest in Our Planet. Lots of different events and activities happen all over the globe, and you can check these out here.
Measom Freer’s Contribution
Here at Measom Freer we are actively investing in our planet through our Ecologi partnership. We contribute to two different types of projects: tree planting and carbon reduction. We will take a bit of a deep dive into the projects next, so you can see where each of the trees have been allocated to. Project information has come directly from the Ecologi website. We are so happy with all the contributions we have been able to make so far, and are looking forward to adding to this in the future.
Tree Planting
Total Trees Planted: 1780
Projects: 10
Project name: Forest restoration in Kenya
Measom Freer Trees Planted: 580
The project site is located in the Mau Region of Southern Kenya, covering six individually-defined reforestation areas totalling 5,700 hectares in area. The land itself is owned by the local community and will be planted by local community members from the region.
Using an “employ-to-plant” methodology provides a consistent income in sustainable land-use practices for the local people who are employed as planters, nursery staff, and forest guards as part of the project activity. This consistent income allows the local community to achieve greater levels of access to education, nutrition and healthcare.
Over the large area of the site and the 7-year project period, it is estimated that around 14.25 million afromontane trees will be planted across the planting site, thanks to the support of our Ecologi community.
Project name: Mangrove planting at Kandrany, Madagascar
Measom Freer Trees Planted: 280
Mangroves are a small, coastal tree species that occur worldwide in the tropics and subtropics, and are particularly proficient at absorbing carbon and storing it in their extensive root systems underground. Carbon stored in mangrove forests is considered blue carbon, because it is stored on the coast. In addition to their excellent carbon sequestration abilities, mangroves provide excellent flood and storm protection to the coastal area itself.
Our mangrove restoration efforts in Madagascar support planting locations on parcels of coastal land to the North West of the island, near Mahajanga. Whilst the combined restoration area is wider, to date we have funded mangrove planting spanning an area of around 600 hectares of this degraded coastal region – and as each small pocket of land is planted, our community’s funding is directed to support further planting, further along the coast. Ecologi’s community has supported mangrove planting in this part of Madagascar ever since our founding in 2019, and we estimate that during the full project period our community will have funded the planting of 13 million mangrove trees here.
Project name: Mangrove planting in Irregele Milato, Mozambique
Measom Freer Trees Planted: 250
The Irregele Milato planting site comprises 756 hectares in the Quelimane District of Zambezia Province, where today, local people often rely on fishing, agriculture and charcoal production for their livelihoods. The necessity for timber for income and for use in daily life has led to extensive deforestation in the area, and flooding in these deforested areas also causes further damage to the ecosystem and to people’s homes and property.
Mangroves are a small, coastal tree species that occur worldwide in the tropics and subtropics, and are particularly proficient at absorbing carbon and storing it in their extensive root systems underground. Carbon stored in mangrove forests is considered blue carbon, because it is stored on the coast. In addition to their excellent carbon sequestration abilities, mangroves provide excellent flood and storm protection to the coastal area itself.Throughout the project period, our community will fund a projected 6 million mangrove trees in this planting site, which will help to stabilise the soil, absorb carbon, and provide employment to local planters and forest guards.
Project name: A flourishing future for Gewocha Forest, Ethiopia
Measom Freer Trees Planted: 250
This project aims to restore 10,000 hectares of degraded land in the Amhara region of Ethiopia by supporting the introduction of 11.9 million trees, in collaboration with The Hunger Project. These will be introduced by three methods: planting, assisted natural regeneration, and conservation.
Native large canopy species that will be planted here include Ficus vasta, Cordia africana, Albizia gummifera, Ficus sur forssk, and Syzygium guineense. On smallholder farms, 1.9 million seedlings of native and exotic species will be grown, including high-value fruit trees such as mango, avocado, banana and coffee.
The project will focus on three aims: forest restoration, securing communal ownership of the community forest, and agroforestry. These three strategies will help ensure the long-term, sustainable use of the land by enabling the protection of the forest, ending unsustainable agricultural practices, and promoting better health and wellbeing among the people who live in the region.
Fundamental to this project is its focus on enhancing the position of women in communities where, historically, opportunities for taking leadership roles have been scarce. Women Self Help Groups (WSHGs) will be formed to enhance women participation and leadership, and these will be supported to become Saving and Credit Cooperative Cooperatives (SACCo). Furthermore, maternal and child health in this region will be boosted by increasing access to Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) including through sanitation & hygiene training, new water point construction and the maintenance of defunct water points. Also, micro-irrigation systems will facilitate the sustainable production of vegetables, fruits and other crops that are important for supplementing and diversifying nutritional diets.
The local communities will also be assisted in securing title deeds to the forest, ensuring its future protection. Currently, the local government is unable to protect the forest, so local people will be given the training and equipment necessary to allow them to look after the forest for generations to come, thus reducing levels of deforestation within the forest. This, combined with improved land management techniques and better understanding of the importance of the in-tact forest among the communities, will ensure the forest is in safe hands going forward.
7,894 farmers and their families in the 14 communities will directly benefit from the Gewocha Forest project, and approximately 42,000 people will benefit indirectly. Excitingly, planting has already begun! In June 2022, the Geray Tree Nursery was already up and running, producing half a million seedlings for this season’s planting.
Project name: Reforestation in Changalane, Mozambique
Measom Freer Trees Planted: 70
The village of Changalane is unusual in the region, due to its majority adult-aged population, of which more than half are women. Historically, this village earned its livelihood through agriculture and the sale of coal, and high poverty rates mean the population relies heavily on its natural resources and forests for survival. The intensive practices of tree-cutting for firewood and charcoal has led to a heavily degraded environment.
The Changalane project employed 15 full-time nursery workers to plant and grow the seedlings, and 30 full-time planters from the local village. Through reforestation, we can help provide long-term financial stability to local families, as well as restore the terrestrial ecosystem. Through the efforts of our planting partner, Eden Reforestation Projects, funding from our community supported the planting of over 2.2 million dry deciduous trees during the project period. These trees will help to re-establish a thriving ecosystem, and planting activities will prevent further deforestation by helping to alleviate local poverty.
Project name: Planting forest gardens in Tanzania
Measom Freer Trees Planted: 60
This project will take place in Iringa, a region in the south of Tanzania which stretches along the ridges and valleys of the Udzungwa Mountains. Currently, farmers in Iringa are predominantly planting one or two types of crops. This method of planting leaves farmers incredibly vulnerable to extreme weather events, pests, and market fluctuations. In addition, most farmers operate individually, with little to no support and access to overcome obstacles in agricultural production and formal markets. To combat this, TREES’ projects utilise their tried and tested Forest Garden Approach. This involves a unique training programme that teaches farmers how to plant thousands of trees to protect their land and bring nutrients back to the soil, helping them to improve the size and quality of their crop yields.
The trees that are planted in the Forest Gardens revitalise the local landscape and help create new business and market opportunities for the farmers, which enables them to diversify their income and be more resilient to climate change. The Iringa Forest Garden project will run over the course of two years, starting in May 2022 through to December 2023 and will plant upwards of 1.8 million trees over this period. It will involve around 600 local farmers.
Project name: Planting forest gardens in Uganda
Measom Freer Trees Planted: 50
This project involves the establishment of 400 Forest Gardens in the Mount Elgon region in Eastern Uganda. Each Forest Gardens is approximately one hectare each in size, and local farmers are supported and trained to establish and look after their Forest Gardens over a period of 4 years.
By the end of the 4-year programme, farmers have an established and protected Forest Garden which they can use to sustain their families and produce vital income. All the while, the diverse trees planted in the 400 Forest Gardens in the project will provide ecosystem services, like stabilising the soil, and of course will be sequestering carbon from the atmosphere and storing it in the ground.
We estimate that across the 4-year project period our community will fund the planting of around 1.6 million trees as part of this Mbale project.
Project name: Saving Endemic Moroccan Fruit Tree Species
Measom Freer Trees Planted: 20
This project is by the people who plant, irrigate, maintain, harvest, and gain income from them. The nursery will use certified plants registered in the official catalogue of Morocco. In order for HAF and its partners to plant 400,000 native fig, carob, peach, pear, and plum seeds and cuttings, the land preparation and the installation of drip irrigation (and a solar pump, well, and basin) will begin in March 2022. The nursery will include two greenhouses for seeds to sprout in trays all year round. The primary nursery caretaker and seasonal workers are supported with training and are from local communities.
Starting in November 2023, the 400,000 tree saplings will be distributed in the TTA region, emphasising the project’s participatory nature, while amplifying the region of environmental impact. Importantly, 120,000 of the trees will be planted on 600 hectares of public domain granted by DREF to the 19 villages of Zefrioune. The region was chosen deliberately to improve farming practices near the spring of the Oued Loukkos river, feeding protected wetlands currently suffering from eutrophication. The nursery area will be the heart of the project dedicated to the multiplication of endemic varieties, providing biodiversity and economic stability for farmers of TTA and Morocco.
Through genetic analysis and selective planting, genetic diversity will be maximised, helping to safeguard against diseases and the effects of climate change. HAF partners with the Department of Water and Forests (DREF) in TTA and has received an in-kind lending of four hectares of land for a tree nursery for the native fruit varieties in the Zefrioune municipality (Ouezzane province). Diverse fig tree populations will not just help ensure future adaptability and production of these varieties but will preserve pollinators and maintain healthy soils too. The trees will be provided to farming families (7,000 people; 19 villages) and education centres in TTA, who will be the sole beneficiaries of the yields of these trees. By planting keystone species, such as fig, which enrich the soil with nutrients, retain water, and attract unique local pollinators, this project will provide the farmers with the stability and independence needed to withstand future crises.
This project involves: a) completing the pre-registry of the tree planting layout to ensure productive growing; b) collaboration with the General Directorate of Hydraulics to ensure water conservation; c) completing the registry and evaluation with GPS tracking six months after transplanting trees from the nursery; and d) applying effective methods to protect soil from erosion. Through HAF’s application of a tree monitoring system that integrates community members in data collection, HAF will strengthen sustainability and address challenges quickly.
The fig nursery will serve as a scientific teaching garden containing all ten regionally endemic fig varieties, training farmers in production and value-added processing techniques, and creating a fig growers’ cooperative to further explore opportunities in cultivation and marketing. Stakeholders will increase production capacity, partnerships, and means to add value and reach a consistent standard and quality of product necessary to enter more rewarding markets.
The project will help local participants gain understanding of biodiversity issues through data gathering and monitoring and free and open access to all data. Periodic and final reports will be published through the HAF social media platforms and website for widespread dissemination, and customarily include interviews with all stakeholders: caretakers, technicians, farmers, and cooperative and association members.
Project name: Protecting and restoring Andean Forests in Bolivia
Measom Freer Trees Planted: 20
The tree planting projects we will be supporting through GFG are part of a project spanning 5 countries in South America (Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Chile, and Argentina) called Acción Andina. Ecologi will be funding the planting of 300,000 trees in the Andes mountains over the next 2 years. These trees will be planted across 16 different project sites, 2 of which will be in Bolivia.
In these Bolivian sites, 65% of the trees planted will be Polylepis subtusalbida, and the other 35% will be made up of other native species, including Alnus acuminata, Schinus molle, Jacaranda mimosifolia, Acacia visco, Tipuana Tipu, Erythrina falcata, and Buddleja coriácea.
Project name: Planting trees and supporting water security in Kenyan forests
Measom Freer Trees Planted: 10
The objective of this project is to restore 200 hectares of highly degraded forests through sustainable, community-led reforestation. The project specifically seeks to catalyse the rehabilitation and restoration of watershed functions, soil stability and quality, carbon sequestration and the biodiversity of the degraded Dundori forest by replanting local species and engaging local communities in their efforts to restore and protect the forest. Additionally, the project will involve planting of trees in schools, as a means to engage young environmental stewards in forest and school-based tree growing in 15 learning institutions.
The project will integrate and mainstream the conservation of four threatened tree species (Ocotea kenyensis, Polyscias kikuyuensis, Prunus africana and Vangueria gillettii (IUCN Red list of 2020)) in Nakuru County.
Trees planted in the forest will need some aftercare to ensure their survival. ITF spearheads aftercare for the planted trees in collaboration with Kenya Forest Service and communities living adjacent to the forests. This is done for a period of three years to ensure the planted trees become well-established and are able to survive on their own. ITF’s approach to the protection of planted sites involves engaging community members known as Community Volunteers, who will also be trained on fire prevention and firefighting.
Carbon Reduction
Tonnes of Carbon reduced: 28tCO2e
Projects supported: 8
Project Name: Wind power project in Mexico
Measom Freer Tonnes of Carbon Reduced: 7.5
This project will prevent the emissions of 245,015 tonnes CO2e on average every year that it is operational, which will be for at least 20 years.
The project is part of a larger wind project, with two other wind turbine sites also producing clean energy for Mexico. The three projects have contributed towards several areas of sustainable development in the local area in collaboration with local groups including the Civil Association MEXFAM and the Espi´ritu de Ayuda foundation, the Technological Institute of Mixe, Istmo University, The National Educational University, and the Training and Productivity Institute for work in Oaxaca State.
Improved health services in the local area funded by the project had, by the end of 2012, distributed information about the importance of prevention and early detection of cervical cancer and prostate cancer to 1,580 local people, delivered workshops and medical examinations to 1,000 young people about avoiding unwanted pregnancies and AIDS, and constructed 4 sports facilities and donated 1,100 pieces of exercise equipment.
Education has been boosted in the local area by the project too, with grants being offered for Masters degrees in wind energy (7 students have already graduated from this course thanks to the grants), a small wind turbine design and production course has had 50 students graduate from it, psychopedagogical support programs for primary school students have been supported, with 421 students and 206 family parents receiving guidance, 22 students have earned their Energy law Certificate, and a fund for grants titled “Higher education at your disposal” for local young people has had 17 beneficiaries.
Local employment has also been boosted by the project. Jobs at the wind power plant itself have boosted local employment rates, but also 40 women from the local area have been trained on typical clothing embroidery techniques and have received help to organise the sale of their products.
Biodiversity has also been supported by the project, with 152.8 hectares of land being restored in local communities, bat monitoring and a vertebrate rescue program has been put in place, and bird observation towers also help reduce the impact of the turbines on local wildlife. In addition, 1,080 children aged 6 to 15 have been taught in a new sustainability classroom about the importance of nature and biodiversity.
Project Name: Wind power project in Thailand
Measom Freer Tonnes of Carbon Reduced: 5.6
This project will avoid 131,883 tCO2e from entering our atmosphere each year of its operation, which equates to a total of 1,318,830 tCO2e over 10 years! The project began in 2018 and will run for 25 years, with a renewable crediting period every 10 years.
This project is situated in the Nongwang, Bueng Prue and Samnaktakhro sub-districts of Thepharak District, Nakhonratchasima Province in Thailand. The project site is Northeast of Bangkok, and is a greenfield project, meaning that no prior activity was installed before the commissioning of this project.
The purpose of this project is to generate clean electricity through the utilisation of wind energy by implementing 90 megawatts (MW) of wind power from 30 Wind Turbine Generators (WTGs) of an individual capacity of 3 MW each. In this project, energy from wind is converted into mechanical energy and subsequently transformed into electrical energy. There are no GHG emissions associated with the electricity generation created from this project. The electricity generated by this project is exported to the Thailand National grid, which will displace an equivalent amount of electricity which would have otherwise been generated by fossil fuel sources.
Over and above the direct environmental benefits derived from renewable electricity generation, this project enhances economic wellbeing and the sustainable development priorities of the country. It creates employment opportunities during the construction and operational phases and leads to the development of infrastructure and monetary investment in the region.
Project Name: Avoiding methane emissions from landfill in Brazil
Measom Freer Tonnes of Carbon Reduced: 4.35
Macaúbas Landfill Gas Project is a landfill gas collection, use and flare project in Brazil. The main objective of the project is to prevent emissions of methane gas into the atmosphere from the landfill site called “Central de Tratamento de Resíduos Macaúbas” located in the municipality of Sabará in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The project activity comprises the installation of new active LFG extraction, flaring and electricity generation systems.
The landfill gas was initially collected through a passive system, with no systematic and monitored flare. Therefore, an extra incentive was needed to make additional investments to enhance its landfill gas collection rate and install appropriate facilities to properly flare the methane produced at the site, and generate electricity. The total emission reductions achieved in the current monitoring phase is 102,580 tCO2e.
The implementation of this project will both prevent environmentally damaging methane from being released into the atmosphere and export electricity to the grid, while preventing emissions of methane. Additionally the project will provide jobs and income generation, as qualified operators are needed to maintain and operate the machinery.
Project Name: Capturing methane to reduce emissions and generate energy in India
Measom Freer Tonnes of Carbon Reduced: 2.55
This project involves the treatment of effluent which is generated during the production of starch from maize. The anaerobic system converts the organic matter into methane-rich biogas, which is then captured for the generation of electricity.
In the absence of projects like this, wastewater effluent often is left in open lagoons, where methane freely escapes into the atmosphere, exacerbating the greenhouse effect. By capturing the methane, the project is able to prevent these emissions and also use the captured biogas to generate electricity.
Project Name: Capturing waste biogas for energy in Turkey
Measom Freer Tonnes of Carbon Reduced: 2.5
The Kayseri Molu Landfill Gas to Energy Project is a large-scale project to capture the landfill methane released from existing landfill area, and convert it into electricity.
The captured biogas from this project is then used to generate electricity which displaces emissions-heavy fossil fuel energy in the national grid, resulting in emissions reductions. The climate benefits of this project are therefore twofold: preventing the harmful methane from being released into the atmosphere and contributing to global warming; and also displacing fossil fuel-generated energy in the grid. Estimated emissions reductions from this project are around 100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year.
Capturing methane emissions from the landfill also has benefits locally, from reducing odour nuisance to reducing the risk of fires and explosions on-site.
Project Name: Rainforest protection in central Brazil
Measom Freer Tonnes of Carbon Reduced: 2.45
The project is located in the Mato Grosso region of Brazil. The region is part of the ‘deforestation arch’, known for the intense deforestation pressure locally. The project is currently undergoing a renewal of its FSC certification, as well as being validated for the Climate, Community and Biodiversity Standard (CCBS).
As well as its core aims of protecting over 70,000 hectares of Amazon rainforest, the project plan also provides co-benefits in the local community of Perseverança Pacutinga – including technical training, women’s empowerment workshops, wildlife monitoring and more.
As rated by Sylvera, the project has achieved – and exceeded – its claimed emissions reductions. Compared to the baseline scenario, the project has achieved considerably lower rates of forest loss.
Project Name: Protecting the Tambopata-Bahuaja Biodiversity Reserve in Peru
Measom Freer Tonnes of Carbon Reduced: 2.4
Situated near the Bolivian border in the Madre de Dios region in Peru, this project takes place in the Natural Protected Areas (NPAs) of Tambopata National Reserve and a sector of Bahuaja-Sonene National Park. This project will avoid 457,750 tCO2e from entering our atmosphere each year, and will run for 20 years in total.
The project is implemented on the ground by the Peruvian NGO, AIDER. The project prevents deforestation and provides tropical rainforest habitat for an incredible variety of rare and endangered wildlife by creating an economic buffer zone around a 591,119 hectare forest to protect rainforest area and provides local people with forest-friendly and sustainable livelihoods. The project avoids greenhouse gases (GHGs) from entering our atmosphere by halting unplanned deforestation and degradation within the area. It does so through four main measures:
- Establishing conservation agreements for identified critical areas by offering tangible and periodic benefits to local settlers in exchange for real conservation commitments.
- Promoting sustainable economic activities through providing support related to financial resources, technical and commercial assistance for families from farmhouses and settled communities.
- Surveillance and control within the NPAs through technical support for community surveillance committees, park rangers training, and improvement of infrastructure and equipment at checkpoints.
- Strengthening forest governance promotes agreements between institutions and related responsibilities to allow for better governance of resources within the project area and leakage belt.
Beyond the benefits of GHG emissions reductions, the project aspects above provide an array of benefits for the local population and for biodiversity conservation. The project is certified to Verra’s Climate, Community and Biodiversity Standard (CCBS), demonstrating its intentions to bring significant co-benefits to the local people and nature.
Project Name: Conserving rainforest in the Western Amazon
Measom Freer Tonnes of Carbon Reduced: 0.65
This project seeks to protect and conserve tropical forest in Acre, Brazil. The project operates through a number of schemes to support and train forest guards, educate and support the local community, assist local people in securing land tenure, and provide training to local farmers. These strategies help to limit the expansion of farmland into forest areas, as well as supporting local people to generate sustainable income from the forest – without needing to deplete it or its resources.
The project was developed in partnership with the local community and in coordination officials of the State of Acre, Brazil, to ensure a comprehensive plan to reduce the pressure on forest resources.