Green Heart in Niger’s Desert

Tree-Nation is an ecological project attempting to plant 8 million trees in Niger to fight desertification.  Niger is the poorest country in the world, and according to the UNCCD, "desertification is potentially the most threatening ecosystem change impacting livelihoods of the poor."

Located in Barcelona, the organization has set up a great website where users can purchase virtual trees and select exactly where they want them to be planted on the site’s virtual map.

The site reads:

So when you plant a tree on our Map you know that we will plant a real tree in the same place in the real world. Soon each tree will be given a unique GPS code that you can use in any GPS application to locate and see your tree. This will also enable us to offer you future services like aerial and satellite photography.

Users have the option of planting four different types of trees including Acacia Senegals for 10 € and my personal favorite, baobabs for 75 €.

Planting trees not only increases the land’s productivity and re-generates the soil, but will also “benefit local populations in terms of welfare, education and farming practices.”

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