About Us
Planting trees, changing lives
We train farmers in agroforestry and sustainable land use - so that they can grow vibrant regional economies, thriving food systems, and a healthier planet.
About us
Our Vision and Mission
We believe in a world where farmers leave a legacy of opportunity through sustainable practices and productive lands.
Our mission is to improve livelihoods of impoverished farmers by revitalizing degraded lands.
Our Story
Dave and Grace Deppner founded TREES after witnessing the link between deforestation and poverty while volunteering in the Philippines.
Early Years
TREES’ small team establishes headquarters in Silver Spring and begins reaching farmers around the world.
The Forest Garden Approach
In 2015, the team streamlined its model to focus on the Forest Garden Approach, ensuring longterm impact on people and planet.
Planting our Way to 2030
TREES joined the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration in 2021. We pledge to reach one billion trees by 2030. Learn more.
Where we work
Trees for the Future (TREES) is currently working with thousands of farming families across nine countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Over our 30+ year history, we’ve worked around the globe. In 2014, we focused our work in select African countries, where the climatic and economic challenges were most pressing and we could make the greatest impact.
Decades of unsustainable agriculture practices have resulted in degraded and unproductive land; nutrient-scarce food systems; and farming families who are unable to grow and sell enough to meet their most basic needs. Using the Forest Garden Approach in semi-arid countries like Senegal, we’ve proven that agroforestry is a solution to each of these challenges, effectively ending hunger and poverty while restoring the land and environment.
