Through Plant a Billion Trees (www.plantabillion.org), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), one of the world’s leading international conservation organizations, and its local partners are working to reforest 2.5 million acres of land and re-connect more than 12 million acres in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, one of the planet’s most endangered and ecologically significant rainforests.   This restoration effort will allow hundreds of plants and animals to re-colonize their former habitats and will protect vital watersheds.

In April 2009, as part of the launch of Disneynature’s EARTH, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures promised to plant a tree in honor of every moviegoer who saw the film during its first week. The great turnout led to an impressive 2.7 million trees pledged to The Nature Conservancy’s Plant a Billion Trees Campaign through the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund.  Additional donations were made by Disney Cruise Line and Disney Stores and Disney Home Entertainment (Blu Ray/DVD) amounting to a total contribution of $3 million.


Tree Planting Progress

Through June 2010, a total of 1,297,800 trees have been planted or restored- more than one million since January. Since the project’s launch, The Nature Conservancy has also implemented several community initiatives including: training landowners in restoration techniques, providing supplies to make protective fences for rural properties and developing a three-year flora monitoring program.

More seedlings are being grown and are scheduled to be ready for planting by September 2010.  By September 2011 an additional 1.5 million trees will be planted, totaling the more than the 3 million pledged to Plant a Billion through Disney initiatives.

Photo courtesy of: Adriano Gambarini