"If every household in the village grows 10 productive food and medicine trees/plants, hunger can be eradicated; health, soil fertility, water retention, biodiversity, ecosystem and social resilience dramatically improved, as well as general wellbeing and climate adaptation possibilities."
Zach Bush, MD
Our beginnings
The 10 Trees Project launched on 1st June 2023, sponsored by Project Biome, a regenerative platform for Global Collaboration initiated by Zach Bush, MD. Their vision is “A humanity in which every endeavour directly or indirectly increases healthy soil, water, air, socio-economics and biodiversity of all life.” Project Biome is a collaborative platform for non-profit, for-profit, and governmental organisations to align the multifaceted resources of science, activism, education, and innovation in soil, water, and air systems through aligned human systems.
Since June of 2023, we distributed over 2,230 trees and plants in Orpen Gate Village in Acornhoek, South Africa, to 210 households.
Zingela Ulwazi is currently raising funds to expand the project to Rooiboklaagte, and will expand into more villages as funds become available. “We want to create a green belt between Orpen Gate Village and Bushbuckridge, says Stella Horgan, ZU founder. “Our dream is to ignite the magic that comes with 10 Trees all over South Africa, Africa and the world.”
At the root of our success is education. Permaculture is the ideal framework because its holistic focus infuses ethics for living into the way of designing and caring for your garden. All participants attend 5 “core” Permaculture classes in addition to two more specialty classes in Pest Control and Soil Fertility and Medicinal Plants. All of our classes are centred around practical hands-on demonstrations, so that our participants can go back to their homes and implement what they’ve learned. The classes are filled with singing, dancing, and laughter which improves the brain’s receptivity to learning, and motivates people to want to come to class.
10 Trees is much more than a tree planting project. At the core of it is women’s empowerment, community development and transforming consciousness in relation to our connection to Nature. These are the main values that are woven through every aspect of the 10 Trees project.
With the ZU team, 17 graduates of our Permaculture Explorers program took up leadership positions to coordinate and implement 10 Trees. This started with mapping the already existing productive plants in 210 households.
“10 Trees is holding love. I have changed a lot as now I am living in harmony with people and stress is disappearing through taking care of the trees.“
Martha