APOPO HeroTREEs - a Climate-Smart Solution

Hello and welcome to your latest update on APOPO's HeroTREEs project!

Thanks to your incredible support, 620 more trees were planted in the last quarter of 2024, bringing the total to 4,600 trees across all nurseries! Among the plant species planted were cloves, grevillea, avocado, acacia, lemon, mango, jackfruit, cinnamon, and syzygium—a true bounty for both the land and the community.

We also welcomed Kihamira village into the initiative, adding 23 new farmers to the growing HeroTREEs community in the Uluguru Mountains, Tanzania. As more farmers join, the project strengthens—expanding knowledge, increasing tree planting, and promoting a shift away from destructive slash-and-burn monoculture farming toward sustainable syntropic agroforestry. By mimicking natural ecosystems, this method improves soil, water, and air quality while contributing to global climate resilience.

At the end of 2024, we were delighted to make annual incentive payments to participating farmers, reinforcing the value of their efforts. Training remains ongoing, and 2025 kicks off a new season of planting and education. Already, 20 farmers in Kibundi Village have been trained in grafting and vegetative propagation, allowing them to expand their crops without buying new plants. The program began with lemon and mango trees, with plans to extend to more high-yield fruit species, thanks to your generosity.

Your commitment is making a real difference for both the environment and communities of the Uluguru Mountains. HeroTREEs is a true grassroots initiative — and we couldn't do it without you!

Links:

• HeroTREEs Website