Report your planted trees via our web app MapMyTree
The MapMyTree counter was launched on 9 December 2021. It counts new trees that comply with the criteria of the 3 Billion Trees Pledge, since the adoption of the EU biodiversity strategy in May 2020.
The accompanying map provides different options to view where trees have been planted across the EU. View planted trees by country, or zoom in on specific regions by selecting the NUTS1 to NUTS3 options. Select the NUTS3 option to view participating organisations. The different shades of green represent the density of trees in the respective geographical areas, i.e. darker shades indicate a higher average tree density per square kilometer of land area.
For more detailed information on the tree planting progress, visit:
Why plant 3 billion additional trees?
The Commission published its dedicated EU Forest Strategy for 2030 to improve the quantity and quality of EU forests. It includes a roadmap outlining how the Commission plans to achieve the 3 Billion Additional Trees Pledge in full respect of ecological principles.
Trees are a key part of the solution to combat climate change and biodiversity loss however this pledge will not solve the climate nor the biodiversity crisis on its own. Planting new trees is not an alternative to preserving existing trees, but a complement to broader conservation action. Planting 3 billion additional trees across the EU by 2030 will
- increase the area of forest and tree coverage in the EU
- increase the resilience of forests and their role in reversing biodiversity loss
- mitigate and help us adapt to climate change
In the EU, it is estimated that almost 300 million trees have grown each year between 2010 and 2015.
The aim is to double these numbers so that we reach 600 million trees grown per year. This means 3 billion additional trees by 2030 compared to the “business as usual” scenario.
How can we achieve this target?
Many planting and natural regeneration activities are taking place in Europe, and the 3 Billion Trees Pledge will kick-start additional efforts and give visibility to what is already happening.
An important aspect is that additional trees need to be planted and grown in full respect of ecological principles. This means that the right tree has to be planted in the right place and for the right purpose. This requires long term planning and monitoring.
In practice, the right mix of tree species should be planted not only in forests, but also in rural and urban areas. No trees should be planted in areas of high nature value such as mires, bogs, fens, wetlands, peatlands, and grasslands. Tree planting in cities can be very beneficial even in smaller numbers, while planting in rural areas can bring added synergies when coupled with agroforestry or landscape features.
The Map My Tree counting and monitoring system is open for both individuals and organisations to report their planted trees as part of the 3 Billion Trees Pledge. Individuals can register their planted trees in our new Map My Tree web app. Organisations involved in the planting of new trees can write to ENV-3BILLIONTREES@ec.europa.eu to report the trees you have already planted. Individuals can also contribute to the pledge by supporting participating organisations.
In order to count towards the pledge, tree-planting initiatives must
- have already happened, reporting is only done retroactively.
- have planted or sprouted the trees after 20 May 2020, date of the adoption of the EU Biodiversity Strategy.
- plant additional trees compared to a “business as usual” scenario (see Subsection 1.1.3 of the staff working document).
- benefit biodiversity and the climate, and in particular exclude the planting of invasive alien species
- plant only native tree species unless it can be demonstrated that they are no longer adapted to projected climatic, soil and hydrological conditions.
For an overview of the conditions to be counted in the pledge, consult the Declaration of Honour.
The pledge of 3 billion additional trees is carried out with a long-term planning and monitoring scheme. This will ensure that the trees are not only planted, but are also allowed to grow over time and thrive in a changing climate. The Commission will not check the planted trees but rely on a Declaration of Honour signed by the participating organisation or individual.
The European Commission is counting and monitoring the progress. It provides political and technical support, communication and labelling, while the European Environmental Agency co-operates the counting and monitoring platform Map My Tree.
Anyone can plant a tree! To achieve this ambitious target, we need motivated Europeans to plant trees and make sure that they grow over time. Tree planting requires everyone involved to work together and the success of the pledge depends heavily on grassroots initiatives. Individuals, landowners, associations, companies, and public bodies such as cities and regions are all encouraged to participate in the initiative.
What else is the EU doing to protect forests?
This pledge will not solve the climate nor the biodiversity crisis on its own. Planting new trees is not an alternative to preserving existing trees, but a complement to broader conservation action. The Commission is taking further action to improve the quality and quantity of EU forests through the new EU forest strategy for 2030. This strategy aims to increase forest coverage in the EU whilst respecting ecological principles, and improve the resilience of forests in the EU. It includes commitments to strictly protect remaining EU primary and old-growth forests, ensure that forests are managed sustainably, and improve the monitoring of EU forests.
Participating organisations
See the list of organisations that have already planted trees as part of the pledge.
News
11 May 2022: Launch event of the 3 Billion Trees Counter for individuals
9 December 2021:MapMyTree: New data tool to count planted trees in Europe
Documents
- Communication toolkit (more communication products will be uploaded in the upcoming weeks):
- Social media visuals: Main visual, Geographical visuals, Season visuals
- Social media header images
- Editable social media visual templates - these templates need to go together with two other products for users to insert into the templates:
- Word template
- PowerPoint template
- Sign-off in all EU languages
- Communication guidelines in all EU languages
- Graphical charter
- Brochure in all EU languages
- 3 billion trees pledge – factsheet
- 3 billion trees pledge - roadmap
- 3 billion trees pledge – staff working document
- EU forest strategy for 2030 and webpage
- Public consultation summary and evidence base - staff working document
- EU biodiversity strategy for 2030
- Advocacy Toolkit for Nature in EU languages, and also in Arabic