Trees in Poland are disappearing! Due to recent changes in legislation trees are no longer protected and millions of trees have been felled. Europe`s last pristine forest - Bialowieża Forest - is under threat.
We can stop this catastrophe. Many activists are fighting to end this situation. They need our help, and we need yours.
Over 3 mln trees felled in 2017
Trees in Poland are disappearing! Changes in the legislation weakened tree protection in our country and caused an environmental disaster. We are loosing milions of trees in cities and the countryside, along roads and in woodlands and only very few are being replaced. It's hard to move anywhere without seeing felled trees. With loosing the oldest and hollow trees we are loosing the rarest terrestial habitat with it's unique, vulnerable and protected species that live in them.
Even the Europe`s last pristine forest - Bialowieża Forest - is being logged.
Why protect trees?
Because we cannot become trees!
Trees are important for all of us - not just for nature!
During heat waves they cool air through the transpiration process, contributing to the reduction of ambient temperature by up to 11 degrees. They eliminate up to 75% of dust, reduce up to 98% nitrates and deactivate up to 70% of heavy metals.
Trees also make natural noise barriers, relieve stress, contribute to property prices and increase the economic potential of cities. They provide a habitat for protected species (bats, birds, beetles, etc.) and are simply beautiful.
The solution
Citizens have the power to limit and stop the felling of old trees in Poland. By acting locally we can make change at the national level. We need trained tree wardens in every corner of the country so that they can act and object against unneccessary tree removal. To do so effectively they need to be competent and professional.
We will only save the trees with joint action!
What We Need & What You Get
We need support – national and international – for our work. This is more important than ever because the current Polish government does not appreciate trees and discriminates against those who try to protect them.
Thanks to your support we will be able to:
provide substantial training for our volunteer tree wardens around the country
provide support through infoline and online advice service
engage with local communities through local planting actions
provide networking opportunities for tree wardens by organising worshops, seminars and conferences
raise the profile of our challenge at the international level
influence change in the legislation so that trees receive better protection
Our minimum goal - 6000$ will allow us to run the consultation point for tree wardens throughout 2018. It should be enough to pay for 200 professional consultations - a real chance of saving hundreds of trees.
Each additional 1500$ will allow us to organise a one-day training for 25 tree wardens. The more funding we receive the more intensive our activities will be and in result the more trees will be saved.
Every year we organise a national Tree Friends Forum. This is an opportunity for networking, sharing best practices and inspiring each other (here you can see a glimpse from 2017 TFF: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zn9YHag9tuQ ). Organising this event costs around 5000-8000$, thanks to your support will make our Tree Friends Forum 2018 bigger and better.
In return we will share with you some of our precious books and films that we've created over the last few years to promote trees and help those who are responsible for their maintenance. Here is a trailer of the film "The Secret Life of Trees" that you might receive in return for your support:
About us
We are a non-profit organization created 26 years ago in Poland during the transition era. Since the beginning we have been protecting trees, making an effort to do so effectively and professionally. We have published books on tree management and trained over 5000 tree officers, road managers and activists. We have conducted local campaigns to protect trees throughout the country.