10 projects using Web3 tools to boost tree planting and reforestation efforts
Since the end of the last ice age, roughly 10,000 years ago, the world has lost one-third of its forests, an area twice the size of the United States, with half of this loss taking place in the last century alone. Although the rate of deforestation is on the decline, there was still an average of 10 million hectares per year of forest cut down between 2015 and 2020.
If the world ever hopes to stop reforestation and regenerate the world’s forests, innovative solutions will be required. In fact, blockchain technology has emerged as a leading technological solution, alongside AI, to combat deforestation and catalyze reforestation efforts.
Blockchain-Powered Reforestation
The advent of blockchain technology has inspired countless use cases that are game-changers for regeneration efforts. For those who aren’t familiar with blockchain, at its core, it is a database distributed across a network. To dive a little deeper, a blockchain is a decentralized and distributed digital ledger used to record transactions across multiple computers in a way that ensures the data can only be modified once a consensus is reached among the system's participants. This structure makes the data secure, transparent, and resistant to modification from a single source. This same technology is also what underpins cryptocurrency and Web3 technology.
The unique features of blockchain, such as its immutability and consensus mechanisms, make it an ideal technology to support regeneration efforts. One area where this technology truly shines is in monitoring and verification efforts, with blockchain being used to ensure proper monitoring of forests and reforestation projects through on-chain verification. On the other hand, through asset tokenization, natural assets such as, you guessed it, trees, can be tokenized and turned into tradeable assets, allowing individuals to directly invest in conservation efforts. At the same time, tokens can be used to reward communities for their reforestation efforts, creating new mechanisms to incentivize sustainable actions.
Overall, blockchain on its own won’t end deforestation and regenerate the world’s forests, but when coupled with other next generation technologies, such as AI, it can certainly be a part of the solution. In fact, there are many projects today that are already making use of blockchain to drive reforestation and tree planting efforts.
Real-Life Examples of Reforestation Projects Using Blockchain Technology
1. Treegens
Treegens has the goal of “evolving Degens into Treegens” and aims to be the most transparent and rewarding tree planting project in the world. They are creating the first “dynamic semi-soulbound token (DSST), an NFT that changes and “levels up” as community members plant trees and fund tree planting efforts. They have an exciting roadmap in the works, which includes the tokenization of mangrove trees with the $MGRO token, which Treegens will be able to earn for planting mangrove trees. Users are then able to burn their $MGRO to retire the eco-credit. 50% of the funds raised through the NFT mint will be used to fund mangrove tree planting, with the other 50% going to Treegens’ impact DAO treasury.
2. GainForest
Gainforest is a nonprofit organization with a mission to “co-design and deploy technological solutions with the stewards of nature on the ground to halt global deforestation by 2030.” Individuals can donate to a nature project directly, with the donation being linked to impact metrics, and monitored via satellite and drone data as well as remote sensing. In 2022, they were able to help fundraise 20,000 mangrove trees, and monitored 2 Million hectares of forest globally. They are also in the process of developing a “Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network (DePIN)” that employs local communities for gathering data on reforestation. Data gatherers can also receive “NFTree hypercerts” which monitor the data collector’s credibility and contributions, and opens them up to additional reward opportunities.
3. Treejer Protocol
Treejer Protocol takes “A unique borderless approach in Climate Action powered by blockchain technology” that enables them to serve as a link between funders and tree planters in remote areas around the world. Credits created through the planting of trees are recorded on-chain, and smart-contracts are utilized to facilitate secure payments between the funders and tree planters.
4. Endangered Tokens
Endangered aims to “form a decentralized investment community for biodiversity preservation, giving Value and governance to stakeholders through Crypto Assets.” They do this by tokenizing threatened tree specimens, which take them form of tradeable assets, with funds raised financing conservation activities. This allows individuals to “sponsor” the protection of forests, while also being able to keep a unique collectible as proof of their contribution.
5. AI For Trees
AI For Trees was founded on the principle that “we all deserve nature”, and makes use of blockchain and AI technology to more accurately monitor tree planting and reforestation efforts. Artificial intelligence is used to accurately verify tree species, with the goal of recording all trees on the Ethereum blockchain to ensure transparency and credibility.
6. Silvi
Silvi aims to accelerate the reforestation movement by “catalyzing a network for anyone who plants trees to spark ecological regeneration.” They do this by using Web3 tools to build the financial and coordination tools for “hyperlocal reforestation”, including TreeForwards, which are a way for funders to invest in reforestation projects with milestone-based payouts, and their future Silvi Token, a cryptocurrency backed by trees that will be used to fund reforestation projects.
7. KOKO DAO
KOKO DAO is focused on saving forests in Colombia by working with local rural communities to develop sustainable economic models that compensate rural communities for preserving forests. Whereas small landowners typically lacked the resources to receive compensation for preservation efforts, blockchain technology has made it feasible to prove the impact of smaller scale conservation projects, open the door to new economic models for these individuals and communities. KOKO DAO has launched a pilot project that covers 37 acres of forest in Huila, Colombia.
8. Fund The Planet
Fund The Planet aims to “Protect our rainforests in the most traceable & transparent way with proof-of-impact.” They accomplish this by seeking out endangered rainforest land, purchasing the land, setting up conservation agreements with local communities, tokenizing and fractionalizing the land, and selling it to individuals and businesses. To date, they have protected 1,800,000 sq meters of rainforest land, and protected over 90,000 trees.
9. Open Forest Protocol
Open Forest Protocol aims to “unlock the power of trees” by measuring, reporting, verifying, and funding reforestation projects, backed by the transparency of blockchain. Open Forest Protocol is built on the NEAR Protocol, and makes use of NFTs as a representation of forestation projects, with project details being stared and updated in the NFT’s metadata. This enables traceability and transparency throughout the project’s lifecycle.
10. Veritree
Veritree connects businesses with verified tree planting projects, with impact data being published on-chain, helping ensure traceability and immutability. To date, Veritree has partnered with hundreds of companies and has four projects underway, including mangrove restoration project in Kenya, and the regeneration of a formal logging site in Canada.
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