News

  We are really happy to share how your JTree donations last year are really making a difference to people and the landscape in Kenya. The Saiwa Swamp Project in Kenya through our planting partners The International Tree Foundation raised 1/4 of its funds from your donations to JTree. The project, in partnership with Kipsaina Cranes and Wildlife Conservation Group (KCWCG), involved working with local communities to restore the wetlands in Saiwa Swamp National Park, Western Kenya. Wetlands play a critical role in mitigating climate change and safeguarding biodiversity. The wetlands in Saiwa Swamp are a vital source of natural…

Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg speaks with Malcolm Turner from The Woodland Trust in the Highlands at Shieldaig about the conservation and expansion of the existing woodlands, connecting other woodlands in the area, increasing biodiversity through wildlife corridors and engaging with local communities in achieving this. “While in the far north of Scotland I had a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the work of the Woodland Trust through meeting Malcolm Turner, a key member of their local team. He took me round the Caledonian forest above the village of Shieldaig, near the road to Applecross, the steepest pass in Britain. It…

Emma Bowers, planting trees as part of a local community project in Bukaya, Jinja in Eastern Uganda. This instance of tree planting grew into a local group P.E.A.C.E (Partners Empowering Agroecology & Community Education) who have the mission to plant trees as a series of community projects along the banks of the Nile and also educate young people of the importance of trees and tree planting.

Report from JTREE USA Since we began JTREE USA almost two years ago, inspired by the leadership and teaching of  Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg, we have planted approximately 28,204 trees through the National Forest Foundation. We have a special arrangement with the NFF that for each $1.00 donated, a sapling will be planted and nurtured in their nurseries and then planted when ready in our national forests. JTREE USA could not have done our work without the support of Hazon who monitor our website on our behalf. One of the members of JTREE also worked closely with PJ Library. As a result…

Happy 2nd Birthday to Project Ala’s Corridors 1&4 In August Seed Madagascar celebrated the second birthday of Project Ala’s Corridors 1 and 4. Although wildlife corridors are long-term projects, we couldn’t let this milestone go by without sharing the progress. Since their humble beginnings in 2019, both corridors have developed well. After replants every three months, and then after the first year, Corridor 1 has seen a 90.5% survival rate in Acacia seedlings and, in Corridor 4, there has been an incredible 99% survival rate! Over two years, the average saplings measured 2.7m and 2.9m for Corridor 1 and 4…

And trees our supporters are planting on home ground JTree supporters Jill and Victor Hoffbrand planted 80 trees at Green Farm in Sussex. Victor writes: “We managed to plant 80 new trees at Green Farm in 2020 and cannot wait to see the blossom on so many this Spring and all of them in full leaf in the summer.” See their Green Farm Diary.

Planting in Uganda We have planted thousands of trees in Africa through The International Tree Foundation – watch the video and see the images.

Planting at Langley Vale So far we have planted an acre at Langley Vale in Surrey, through The Woodland Trust. James Rice, the Regional Development Officer, writes: ‘The area is one of my favourites on the site, it’s the highest part of the site, has great views and is very atmospheric. You can see the weather coming in for pretty much 360 degrees, and there are countless resident skylarks.’ We are continuing to plant!

Trees: Heart, Mind and Soul! To coincide with the introduction of JTree, this was a celebration of trees from spiritual, scientific and creative points of view. Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg, co-founder and driving force behind EcoSynagogue, JTree, and Senior Rabbi of the Masorti movement was joined by Jonathan Drori CBE, former Kew Trustee and author of “Around the World in 80 Trees” and Tracy Chevalier, Woodland Trust Ambassador and author of Girl with a Pearl Earring”. Their lively, illustrated conversation was chaired by Emily Kasriel of BBC News. It also featured this speech by Ely Boyd: In 3 weeks, I celebrate…

‘Greta Thunberg effect’ driving growth in carbon offsetting Growing concern about the climate crisis and the “Greta Thunberg effect” are driving huge increases in individuals and businesses choosing to offset their emissions by investing in carbon-reducing projects in developing countries. NGOs and organisations involved in carbon offsetting have seen as much as a fourfold increase in investment from people who want to try to mitigate their carbon footprints.   Read More

Climate change: Trees ‘most effective solution’ for warming Researchers say an area the size of the US is available for planting trees around the world, and this could have a dramatic impact on climate change. The study shows that the space available for trees is far greater than previously thought, and would reduce CO2 in the atmosphere by 25%. The authors say that this is the most effective climate change solution available to the world right now.   Read More

UK needs 50 million new trees per year to hit net zero carbon emissions by 2050 The Committee on Climate Change’s (CCC) report outlines the stark increase in woodland expansion needed to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The report recognises that neither internally legally binding targets (as enshrined in the Climate Change Act) nor externally binding commitments (the Paris Accord) will be met given the current trajectory in the reduction of carbon emissions.   Read More