A responsible corporate company joins hands with an environmental NGO to take on the cause of sustainable forestry in Uganda. Nedbank Capital and Face the Future have signed a pioneering Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) designed to facilitate future collaboration between the two companies with the sole intention of enabling them to jointly develop sustainable forestry projects … [Read more...]
Leading South Africa to a Greener Future
A wave of green consciousness is sweeping South Africa as the world prepares for COP 17, which is set to kick off in Durban from the 28th of November. World leaders debate in congress and we all look to one another for answers, while green warriors lead the way, demonstrating the pivotal role ordinary people like you and I can play in ensuring the call to “Go Green” is … [Read more...]
A TREE SEEKER IN ITALY
I walk through the landscape. Italy is so a big and amazing place to discover. We have a long history, a great artistic heritage from the Etrurian age, the Roman Empire, the Middle Ages local cultures and towns, the Renaissance masterpieces, etc. When a person, everywhere in the World, think about Italy probably imagine about Leonardo da Vinci, Rome, Venice’ channels, … [Read more...]
Japanese gardeners help gauteng school
120 volunteers from Japan visited Swartkop Valley Primary School to help improve their food garden. The school, near Muldersdrift in Gauteng, initiated a permaculture food garden with funding from SASOL and Woolworths, while Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA) have been providing permaculture training and materials since 2006. The gardens have been visited as a food security … [Read more...]
The gift of trees
In the spring of 2006 I decided to plant a tree. Not because it is environmentally correct to do so, or because people now donate trees to counter the pollution from their air trips, or because I have measured my carbon footprint. It was simpler and more heartfelt than that. I had been involved in the publication of two books that generated many thousands of pages of proofs. I … [Read more...]
African forest policies best in world
African governance was praised at UN headquarters in New York when the winners of the 2011 Future Policy Award were announced: Rwanda’s National Forest Policy was proclaimed the winner of the 2011 Future Policy Award and The Gambia’s Community Forest Policy took home a Silver Award. The prize is awarded annually by the World Future Council, a foundation that brings the … [Read more...]
Kulula celebrates 24 hours of reality
Kulula’s Project Green programme, which aims to combat the atmospheric carbon loads and greenhouses gases released by its aircraft, has raised R1 million to support greening and mitigate climate change through Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA). By February 2009 Project Green had planted 2009 trees. Now, thanks to the thousands of kulula fans who contributed money every … [Read more...]
Trees for tourism
Trees are becoming almost sacred in a world constantly battling against carbon emissions and their resultant climate change with its dire ripple effects on every sphere of our planet’s functioning. Nothing represents life, growth and vigour like an ancient, sturdy tree. Hidden on the slopes of the Baviaanskloof hills, just beyond Gansbaai, is 70ha of indigenous forest. A … [Read more...]
International day against monoculture trees
On 21 September the International Day against Monoculture Tree Plantations will be celebrated. Around the world several activities will be coordinated. This year has been declared the International Year of Forests by the United Nations. In response, the World Rainforest Movement (WRM) has initiated a campaign that challenges the definition of ‘forest’ used by the Food and … [Read more...]
Uitkyk’s spring initiative to green kayamandi
Stellenbosch wine estate, Uitkyk has extended its eco-sustainable commitment by donating 40 indigenous trees to the neighbouring community of Kayamandi, marking the start of spring. Early in September, to plant the trees, the Biodiversity and Wine Initiative (BWI) champion teamed up with Serve the City, a volunteer-driven, non-profit organisation dedicated to uplifting … [Read more...]
Yellow pages translate to thousands of trees
During the month of June, Trudon (Publishers of the Yellow Pages) is distributing 1 500 trees to the fortunate residents of Braamfischerville, Gauteng, as part of an ongoing effort to green townships. In conjunction with South Africa's premier social greening social enterprise, Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA), Trudon has generously sponsored 10 000 trees for distribution in … [Read more...]
The reforest fest at platbos
One hundred GreenPop volunteers, armed with spades and plenty of enthusiasm, gathered at Platbos – the ancient old-growth forest just a few kilometres inland from Gansbaai – to plant 1000 trees over the weekend of the 11th and 12th of June. They travelled from Cape Town on the 'Green Busâ€, a minibus that runs on recycled cooking oil. On arrival on the Friday evening, … [Read more...]
Stories help us craft a new reality
Two weeks ago, Pam and I got back from a woodland vacation in Ontario, Canada. While we were there, we learned the story of the privately owned forest we were staying in, the Haliburton Forest and Wildlife Reserve. Starting in the 1870s, lumber companies clear-cut the easily accessible white pine stands in the area. Destructive tree harvesting continued until the 1960s, when … [Read more...]
