Support Reforestation Across the Indigenous West

Now that the planting season has come and gone for 2017, Trees, Water & People is working to raise awareness about our tree-planting program until next year. Thanks to our partnership with the Colorado State Forest Service Nursery, we are growing the next generation of Ponderosa Pines for the 2018 planting season. 2018 will be our most ambitious year yet; our goal is to plant 35,000 seedlings and to expand to two new areas of South Dakota. The plan for next year is to plant 15,000 Ponderosas on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation; 10,000 in the Oglala area, where we have planted before, and 5,000 in the region around Kyle, which will be a new area for us. In addition to Pine Ridge, we will be planting 15,000 on the Rosebud Reservation. The remaining 5,000 trees will be going to the Cheyenne River Reservation. This will be our first time planting on Cheyenne River, and we couldn't be more excited to be expanding the work that you have helped us accomplish.

In addition to the new planting areas, we will be strengthening our partnership with the Colorado State Forest Service to create a more holistic training program for the Native American tree planters. This training will not only focus on how to properly plant the seedlings to ensure their survival but also more deeply explore why these trees are important for their community and all the benefits they will provide. Colorado State Forest Service is also working with us to develop a soil amendment to add to the baby trees' roots that will increase their likelihood of reaching maturity. 

Not only are we working with the Colorado State Forest Service, but we are now partners with PrintReleaf, a software platform that helps businesses reduce their environmental impact by automatically planting trees across a global network of reforestation projects, thus offsetting their paper consumption. PrintReleaf will help us monitor the trees we plant to ensure that the survival rate of these little trees is as high as possible.

We are tremendously excited about the growth of this project; growth that would not have been possible without the contribution of donors like you! Your gifts have sequestered carbon and reduced greenhouse gases, improved air and water quality, reduced soil erosion, re-established wildlife habitat, and enhanced ecosystem resiliency while engaging Native Americans in the protection of their lands. Thank you for your continued support!