Earth Day idea: hug a reforestation project

As we all know every day is Earth Day, so we’re celebrating three tree-growing partnerships that you can visit with us that empower local communities to successfully adapt to the growing impacts of climate change. Supported by G Adventures and non-profit partner, Planeterra, these reforestation projects in Morocco, Madagascar, and Sri Lanka demonstrate how communities are mitigating the impacts of drought, floods, soil erosion, and deforestation, while improving community education, resilience, and well-being.

Spread love around the world — with trees

Known as Trees for Days, our reforestation partnership has grown over 3.8 million trees since launch in 2023. By planting a tree for each day you’re on one of our trips, we all help local communities face their climate and environmental challenges with community-led solutions.

Much more than just a tree-planting or carbon-offsetting scheme, Trees for Days not only helps protect the environment, it helps local people create additional income and improve their livelihoods, often benefiting marginalized Indigenous populations, women, and youth. Altogether, over 115,000 lives have been positively impacted by the program including 116 communities across 20 projects globally.

Trees for Days makes a real difference

Lifelong tree-and-people-loving person Jamie Sweeting, President of Planeterra said, "Unlike many tree planting initiatives, where saplings often don't reach maturity, or local people do not see the benefit, Trees For Days brings local communities who are already suffering the impact of the climate crisis into the solution. We don't focus on offsets, but instead commit to growing trees and crops that are specially selected for the region and community need, helping to regenerate the environment while providing income to communities at the same time — a perfect example of community tourism and environmental initiatives working hand in hand."

Where can I visit Trees for Days projects?

While our Trees for Days initiatives continue to grow to more communities globally, only some of them can be visited on a G Adventures tour. Here are three tree-mendous options to spread the love and get your hands dirty in a good way!

Plant your own trees at Soa Zara in Madagascar

Soa Zara’s goal is to grow trees and recreate wildlife habitats destroyed in the deforestation of the Ihorombe region where tree coverage has alarmingly been reduced by 85%. In addition to preventing erosion and potential harm to the coral reefs, the trees encourage the return of animals like fish, amphibians, reptiles, and birds that slowly disappeared over the last 10 to 15 years.

G Adventures, via Planeterra, has already sponsored the growth of 450,000 trees that directly benefit communities around the local area. It also supports Soa Zara’s current washbasin project — working with a local women’s cooperative to create a washbasin station and water filtration system in Ranohira. It lets the community do their laundry in a safe environment without polluting nearby water systems.

Hug the trees and plant your own at Soa Zara on: Highlights of Madagascar

Support trees and artisans at Akrich Nursery in Morocco

Located in a 700-year old Jewish cemetery, this nursery grows fig, pomegranate, and lemon trees that help support ecosystems and soil health through organic practices. At the same time it strengthens interfaith solidarity between Muslim and Jewish communities. Planeterra has been partnering with High Atlas Foundation to grow trees here, on behalf of G Adventures, since 2023 and sponsored the growth of 675,000 trees in Morocco more widely that directly benefit communities in the High Atlas Mountains.

Through the support of Planeterra, nearby Achbarou Women’s Co-operative created a space that empowers local artisans to transform their traditional carpet weaving skills into a sustainable income source through tourism as well as preserving their cultural heritage.

Hug the trees and visit Achbarou women's co-op on: Southern Morocco: Marrakech, the Atlas Mountain & the Sahara

Sleep on AMBA Estate’s organic farm in Sri Lanka

As a community-run social enterprise, AMBA's goal is to maximize local employment and incomes, while preserving and restoring the natural environment. They focus on growing revenue-earning trees like tea, coffee, cinnamon, cacao, mango, and avocado interspersed with nitrogen-fixing and shade trees, and the replanting of deforested areas with Indigenous forest varieties. Through the Trees for Days initiative 38,000 trees have grown and the equivalent of 10 full-time positions were created for the local community.

About 60 employees earn additional income from the productive trees and over 200 villagers earn money from the coffee trees distributed to outgrowers. Indirectly, 1,000 people benefit from improved water retention, reduced landslide risk, and local microclimate improvements. Plus, tens of thousands of people who live in the river valley downstream, benefit from reduced soil erosion and flood-risk from the reforestation.

Hug the trees and stay at AMBA estate on: Sri Lanka Express