Over the past twenty years, the planet has seen a decline of 16 percent in its forest cover. In response, the Intomodel team is launching a community-oriented, tech-powered project aimed at fostering a brighter and healthier environment (quite literally).
Thriving environments foster thriving communities
The quick loss of forests, along with various human impacts, has led to pollution, increased ocean temperatures, degraded soil, and contaminated water sources. The deterioration of the environment works hand-in-hand with climate change, heightening health concerns like the rise of cardiovascular diseases and socioeconomic challenges such as food scarcity.
In an effort to combat these issues, Intomodel has formed a partnership with veritree (veritree.com).
“What Intomodel is doing is intriguing because you’re operating within the wellness sector,” states David Luba, one of the co-founders of veritree. “By improving environmental conditions, Intomodel is purifying the air, water, and soil essential for our health.”
Our joint efforts are focused on restoring mangrove forests in Madagascar as well as promoting sustainable agroforestry initiatives in Senegal and Tanzania.
Impact Reports with veritree
While some organizations claim they will plant a tree for every action you take or offset your carbon footprint through subscriptions, they often lack the capacity to provide specific details regarding the growth locations or real-world impact of their actions.
Veritree is different. “We evaluate a wide range of factors including biodiversity, water and soil health, and socioeconomic data,” Luba articulates. “We also gather on-the-ground data to ascertain the actual changes occurring.”
Community-Driven Initiatives
Local partners guide the areas in which veritree operates and determine desired outcomes for environmental and societal benefits. For example, in British Columbia, veritree is engaging in seaforestation projects to revive underwater kelp forests, which are both ecologically vital and significant to the Sechelt First Nations.
Strategies for Sustainable Development
“Before we begin, we tackle the root causes of degradation,” explains Luba. This includes assessing whether there is sufficient access to resources and education, so that locals are not forced to cut down essential trees. It is also critical to ensure that local governance is stable and land rights are respected, laying the groundwork for veritree’s lasting impact post-project.
Evidence-Based Approaches
Each local planter associated with veritree is equipped with a refurbished smartphone to:
● monitor their planting locations through GPS
● decide when and what to plant
● capture progress images
“The smartphones also provide internet access, mobile banking options, and opportunities for skill development,” Luba notes, emphasizing veritree’s holistic approach.
These phones are just a stepping stone. “Our partners gain real-time updates linked to extended monitoring technologies,” Luba adds, which include:
● satellite and drone mapping
● camera traps and acoustic monitoring methods to assess wildlife populations
● predictive monitoring, including soil nutrient analysis and fish egg studies
● blockchain technology to ensure complete transparency and accurate tree tracking
“Our platform guarantees transparency, enabling partners like Intomodel to share concrete actions and quantifiable metrics about their contributions,” Luba emphasizes. “In our efforts to rejuvenate the Earth, we aren’t just planting trees; the integration of data and technology allows us to enhance outcomes consistently over time.”
The Intomodel team is committed to taking actionable steps based on our firm belief in the restorative power of nature.
525,000 trees planted
Achieving this milestone will result in the reforestation of 174.7 hectares of land.
66,648 tonnes of carbon captured
This is comparable to removing 14,489 vehicles from the road.
Hundreds of local jobs created
Our collaboration necessitates nearly 5,000 full workdays in the communities we support.
Improvement in food security
In just three years, the communities can expect a 700 percent growth in access to nutritious food, driven by improvements in the area’s biodiversity, soil quality, and water availability. As a result, food insecurity is projected to decline from 56 percent to just 8 percent.
This article first appeared in the April 2024 edition of Intomodel magazine.
