Oboz and One More Tree
Since day one, Oboz Footwear has planted a tree for every pair of boots or shoes sold. (To date: 1,324,881 and counting—follow the progress here).
We know what you're thinking: we're really good at digging holes. Not quite. Though we do occasionally green a corner of our own neighborhoods, we're actually able to plant one more tree thanks to our tireless tree-planting partner, Trees for the Future, a non-profit that helps individuals and communities in Sub Saharan Africa plant trees.
Tree for the Future staff recently brought Oboz footwear on a tree planting trip to Senegal. Photo Credit: Andrew Oberstadt
Here’s how our partnership works. For every pair of shoes we sell through our retailers, we get out the checkbook and make a donation directly to Trees for the Future. They do the good and dirty work of planting trees—over 100 million since 1989.
Plant Trees. Change Lives.
Trees for the Future says it best: ‘Plant Trees. Change Lives.’ They harness the restorative power of plants to provide communities in Sub Saharan Africa with trees, seeds, tools and knowledge to ensure a sustainable future.
Trees for the Future works closely with local communities so the effort is a robust partnership. Photo credit: Andrew Oberstadt
The proof is in the stories of families that grow timber, edibles and other products. The trees we help plant also revitalize degraded and unproductive soil, reduce erosion, and provide shade, shelter and wind breaks.
Take Mate Mbaye’s family in Senegal, for example, which is thriving under the 1,544 trees he planted. He said, “I get more from my two acre forest garden than I could get from six acres of peanut crop. My sons have a future now, and as I age, trees will continue to feed my family.”
Forest Gardens
Four thousand.
That’s the amount of trees planted in a dense “forest garden” alongside vegetables, to give a large family just about everything they need to thrive. These gardens become a reliable source of income. They provide food to eat, stability from weather, pests and market fluctuations, feed for livestock, and fuel for cooking. The practice combines the benefits of trees with the productivity of agriculture, so that families can use their gift of trees wisely for years to come.
Children pose under cashew trees planted with the help of Trees for the Future. Image courtesy Trees for the Future.
Long-term Impacts
We’re proud—through the support of our retail partners and fans—to help the livelihoods of people like Mate and restore a small corner of the world.
“Planting trees on degraded lands changes people's lives in profound ways,” says John Leary, Executive Director of Trees for the Future. “Bringing degraded lands back into sustainable productivity requires a strong commitment. We, and the thousands of families and communities we serve, are grateful for Oboz's continuous dedication to our tree planting projects over the years.”
For more information on Trees for the Future, visit trees.org or watch this video about the organization's fascinating story as told by its founder Dave Deppner.