Results
Also for Grow For It, 2020 was heavily influenced by COVID-19. We received a record number of funds for tree planting (more than in 2019) but it was difficult for our international partners to get the trees into the ground due to restrictions.
RESULTS FOR 2020
2020: In January, we extended the agreement between Eden Reforestry Projects. 5 hectares of mangrove forest will now be planted each month in 2020. A total of 60 hectares in Antsanitia, Madagascar. https://growforit.dk/gode-nyheder-og-friske-billeder-fra-madagascar/
2020 SE Energi is changing their name to NORLYS. In this connection, there was a quiz competition, which triggered a total of DKK 20,000 for Grow For IT’s tree planting. The amount went to plantings in Vietnam.
2020 In February, we will receive final reports and documentation on the 14 hectares of model forest plantations in Vietnam. There is widespread satisfaction from all sides with the scheme and with the result https://growforit.dk/modeltraeplantning-i-vietnam-er-nu-faerdig/
2020 In March, COVID-19 hit the world. And in Uganda, that meant that the agreement we were working on with the Danish Forestry Extension (DFE), the Uganda Timber Growers Association (UTGA) and the National Forest Authority (NFA), had to stop as all public offices in Uganda closed. Thus, we could not obtain a clarification regarding the planting area in Western Uganda (a National Forrest reserve). The result was that we unfortunately lost the spring rains and thus the first period of tree planting in Uganda.
2020 In March, we had to acknowledge that COVID-19 made it impossible to operate our part-time secretariat. All companies were forced to hold on to liquidity and dared not enter into long-term agreements. Grow For It would run out of fixed assets and the result was that we had to lay off the part-time paid secretariat employee.
2020 In April, COVID-19 got a good grip. Donations were few and progress had been suspended in Uganda and Nepal. However, work continued unhindered in Madagascar and in Vietnam, because work was primarily done by locals. Read about COVID-19 and Grow For It here: https://growforit.dk/traeplantning-og-covid-19-i-vietnam-nepal-og-uganda/
2020 In May, Grow For It became a “Grove Partner” at Eden Reforestry Projects. This was achieved when our amazing donors had enough funds to plant for more than $ 50,000. Read more here: https://growforit.dk/grow-for-it-bliver-grove-partner-hos-eden-reforestation-projects/
2020 In May, the annual General Meeting was held virtually. Read the Chairman’s report here: https://growforit.dk/generalforsamling-i-grow-for-it-2020/
The most important conclusion was that the thesis we set out in 2010 after the failure at COP15 is possible: Yes, for DKK 7,500 it is possible to plant a sufficient number of trees for a single Dane to balance his/hers annual CO2 pollution of 9, 3 tons of CO2, equivalent to 750 tons of CO2 over a lifetime. However, the DKK 7,500 is the lower limit and requires simple and cheap planting conditions, like the conditions in Madagascar, or that there are very large areas, such as in Uganda, or that the forest farmers themselves put money into tree planting, such as in Vietnam (20%) and Nepal (25%).
2020 In July, TROFACO announced that it is possible to have individual names of the tree plantations in Uganda – planted in 2020. TROFACO also stated that COVID-19 meant that they must postpone one-year quality control of the trees planted in 2019, as there is a ban against spending the night outside the home. Read more here: https://growforit.dk/mulighed-for-at-faa-navn-paa-ugandaplantninger-og-covid-19/
2020 In August, DFE and TPFDA in Terai, Nepal, announced that due to COVID-19 restrictions, it will not be possible to plant in Nepal. Otherwise, thanks to Society of Lifestyle and Jan, we had sufficient funds to plant a total of 25 hectares with the same Foresters’ Association as in 2019. The planting in Nepal will be postponed until 2021.
2020: In September, thanks to donations from Welcon, Sydfyns Trælegetøj, SE Energi and Nina, we had sufficient funds for 14 hectares of “socio-economic” tree planting in Vietnam. The afforestation is carried out in a collaboration between Danish Forestry Extension and the same Vietnamese forestry association as in 2019, however with a new team of local forest farmers: https://growforit.dk/vietnam-nye-traeplantninger-i-2020/
2020: In October, thanks to Maria, Nathalie and Anne, we received a newly designed certificate package for private lifetime donors as well as for our company donors. At the same time, we switched to an automated process for issuing the certificates, so that you will receive your certificate electronically when the purchase has been made. No need to wait for a letter from PostNord.
2020: In November, a preliminary agreement was reached on the planting of at least 94 hectares of forest in Uganda in 2020 and 2021. Publication of the details awaits the final agreement with the Uganda Timber Growers Association (UTGA) and the National Forest Authority (NFA).
2020: In November, GreenTown and Grow For It entered into a partnership. Trees can now be purchased through GreenTown’s Marketplace. At the same time, GreenTown donated the first portion of their profits to Grow For It. Together with the smaller donations and a single private donation, this ensured that there were sufficient funds for the very last of the 60 hectares of mangrove forest in Madagascar in 2020 https://greentown.dk/pages/plant-traeer
2020 In November, we had funds for planting a total of 129 hectares of forest in 2020, but due to COVID-19, it was only possible to plant the 74 hectares in Madagascar (60 hectares) and Vietnam (14 hectares), respectively.
RESULTS FOR 2019
2019: In February, we signed an agreement with Eden Reforestry Projects to plant 24 acres of mangrove forest in an area called Antsanitia in Madagascar. Read more.
2019: Framework agreement with TROFACO on planting 70 hectares of school and flat plantations in Uganda. The plantings are carried out by TROFACO and CIDI (Ugandan NGO). Monitoring of Uganda 2017 plantings as well as overseeing the beginning of the plantings.
2019: Collaboration with Primus Motor / Bigum Consult to investigate the willingness of selected companies to achieve CO₂ balance for their activities through their CSR obligations. Karina Green Bro conducted surveys of Danish companies in Vietnam.
2019: Fyns Trælegetøj donates funds for a 12 hectare “socio-economic” tree planting in Vietnam. The forestry is carried out in a collaboration between Danish Forestry Extension (the foreign branch of the forest growers) together with a Vietnamese forestry association and local forest farmers.
2019: House Doctor donates funds for a 12 hectare “agroforestry” test plant in Nepal. The forestry is carried out in collaboration between Danish Forestry Extension (the foreign branch of the Forestry Association) and a Nepalese forestry association as well as local farmers.
2019: Hedeselskabet talks about their latest initiative called “Firmaskoven” in areas within the EU. We are pleased that Hedeselskabet has adopted our original idea of Firmaskoven.
2019: Peter Esmann joins the Board of Directors. Peter is now in charge of the contact with Eden Reforestry Projects and contributes to handling our e-mail account.
2019: External assistance from Dagný Björk Kristjánsdóttir. Dagný’s thesis at Bigum Consult, was the most beautiful little video about Grow For It and tree planting, as well as a presentation about gift cards. The gift card option was implemented on our website.
2019: Establishment of Asset Group to help run the association. Stig Lindén-Søndersø handles our Facebook account. Pernille Selch Holm is in charge of corporate gift sales. Christine Lindgaard Bæk is responsible for our design. Grethe Pihl Jensen joins the Board of Directors and handles company contacts as well as emails.
2019: New website with design guide by Christine Lindgaard Bæk. Re-design by Grethe, Daniel and Kristian Strøbech, who also established a brand new webshop.
2019: At the end of August 2019 we have received 63 lifetime donations and 171 gift cards and GO-FOR-IT packages with a donation of at least 200 kroner.
2019: The active group has been greatly strengthened. Luisa dos Santos Bay Nielsen, Maria Voss, Troels Ravn Klausen, Nathalie Risvig Hansen, and Renè Hougaard have all become part of the community.
2019: In September, Jens’s climate speech was held at “Break for Climate” in Copenhagen. The speech dealt with Grow For It, SkyClean and green marine fuel NH3. Later in the year, we held presentations at the Implement climate conference. Both resulted in multiple donations.
2019: In October, all trees in Uganda were planted through TROFACO, and the agreed photo documentation was provided. A total of 54 hectares of forest and 16 hectares of school plantings were planted with 700 trees per hectare = 42,000 trees in total.
2019: In November we entered into an agreement with Eden Projects. Throughout 2020, 4 hectares of mangrove forest are planted each month on a site dedicated to Grow For It. We have an option to increase the number if necessary – and it will become necessary.
2019: In November a part-time secretariat was established to handle larger activities and advise companies in normal working hours. We could no longer handle the tasks after four o’clock and on the weekends.
2019: In December we received reports and documentation on the 2 * 14 hectare model forest plantations in Nepal and Vietnam respectively. The forestry association in Nepal and DFE have announced that they would like to reforest in 2020.
2019: By year-end 2019/2020, we had received a total of 107 lifetime donations. All the smaller donations totaled DKK 79,000. Grow For It transferred a total of DKK 980,463 to tree planting in 2019. Primarily to Uganda and Madagascar as well as the 2 model plantings in Nepal and Vietnam.
2019: At year-end 2019/2020, Grow For It had 415 contingent paying members. 404 people had paid at least 200 kroner.
2019: In 2019, you, our donors, have planted 60 hectares of forest in Uganda, 36 hectares of mangrove forest in Madagascar, 14 hectares of forest in Nepal and 14 hectares of forest in Vietnam. A total of 124 hectares of forest, which together will absorb 1600 tonnes of CO₂ per year in the years to come.
2019/2020: By the end of 2019, you, our donors, have already paid for another 69 hectares of forest to be planted in 2020. The distribution is currently. 48 hectares in Madagascar, 16 hectares in Uganda and 5 hectares in Nepal.
RESULTS FOR 2018
2018: In January we had enough members and donations to maintain our §8A approval at SKAT (donations to Grow For It can be deducted from tax), in which we received 108 donations of 200 kroner from employee Christmas gifts.
2018: We are in the process of researching selected companies’ willingness to achieve CO2 balance for their activities through their CSR obligations. CSR = Corporate Social Responsibility.
2018: Chronicle in Information and article in Natural Energy gave great visibility and caused the number of donations to explode. Read the chronicle here.
2018: By the end of 2018, we had received 221 payments over DKK 200, including 62 lifetime donations. Amount for tree planting DKK 624,000. 437 contingent paying members.
2018: 6 companies chose to donate money for afforestation. And Siemens Gamesa provided the opportunity for employees to choose tree planting as a corporate Christmas gift.
RESULTS FOR 2017
2017: Thanks to our 361 members and 127 donors in 2017, Grow For It was approved under Sections 12 and 8A of the “ligningslov” Act. https://www.skat.dk/skat.aspx?oID=2061734.
2017: Donations of at least DKK 200 can now be deducted in tax as charity. Additionally, we have established a solution with MobilePay that allows you to automatically obtain tax deductions. Guidance appears on the website.
2017: Test planting have been conducted in Uganda and Madagascar for the purpose of determining suitable partners and models that our donors can then choose from. The thesis that it is possible to plant trees that absorb at least 10 tonnes of CO2 per year for DKK 7500 (1000 €) has been confirmed through our partners in Uganda www.trofaco.org and in Madagascar www.edenprojects.org/ .
2017: We have been given a platform for social media campaigns, #TreeMission, created by students at the Ingolstadt School Of Management, Social Entrepreneurship.
2017: We have obtained a visually beautiful certificate for our life-time CO2 balance donors.
RESULTS FOR 2016
The website, designed by Mogens Karlsen and Morten Telling of Moxtell Productions, went live on April 2, 2016.
2016: On June 1, 2016, Denmark’s first corporate forest became a reality: 5 hectares of planted forest, which will absorb 50 tonnes of CO2 annually, balancing the consumption of 15,000 liters of diesel for Månsson’s tractors.
2016: The civil society association Grow For It was officially established on June 3, 2016 with formal association statutes, board of directors, bank liaison and the other necessary legal matters. As a celebration of the event, the board planted 175 oaks and 25 potted plants in connection with Firmaskoven. The Board of Directors of the association Grow For It currently consists of Anne Wolsing, Lars Hedemann, Henrik Stiesdal (Chairman), Jan Thisted, Kristian Strøbech and Jens Thomsen.
2016: On September 18, 2016, Grow For It participated with Hedeselskabet in an Open Agriculture event at Månssons, where we distributed flyers and talked about Hedeselskabet, Grow For It, Firmaskoven, and what trees do well in relation to global warm up.
2016: On September 19, our association was featured on TV Mid-West. Chairman and Vice President spoke about Grow For It and about Firmaskoven: Listen here.
2016: In October 2016, Grow For It started a dialogue with SKAT with the purpose of obtaining Grow For It in accordance with §8a and §12.section 3 of the “ligningslov” Act.
2016: In November 2016, our foreign planting partner, TroFaCo, www.trofaco.org, came back from Uganda and announced that there are large areas that need to be planted with trees.
2016: In December 2016, we received donations for planting in Uganda, which will annually absorb at least 70 tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere and bind it in the growing trees. The donations were made by Cibi e Vini, www.cibievini.dk, Fabio Simoncini, Mie Thomsen, Karen & Svend Thomsen and own funds from Grow For It.
2016: In December 2016, we translated all the text on our website into English, so that we can have both a Danish and an English version on the updated website. Likewise, we have begun to reconnect our website with a new media strategy that includes social media.
RESULTS FOR 2015
GrowForIt the forest close to Lysgård Sø was planted and inaugurated in December. Read more.
2015: Afforestation in Cambodia in cooperation with CAFACA. Planting of trees corresponding to 10,000 m2 of forest through donation via Grow For It.
2015: A GrowForIt project concerning climate consciousness. GrowForIt was given 200,000 DKK from
Hedeselskabet for the purpose of examining if companies have an interest in utilizing afforestation as a
means against the global warming. In practice, that can take place by companies balancing their CO2
emission through planting trees capturing what they emit. Read more.
RESULTS FOR 2014
2014: On May 4, 2014, EU Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard and Hoge Taastrup’s Mayor Michael Ziegler, together with local citizens and Growing Trees Network, planted the last trees in Fløng Folkeskov.
