- Canva's journey with One Print, One Tree
Canva's journey with One Print, One Tree
Our One Print, One Tree program has made incredible progress since its launch nearly two years ago. From protecting endangered species to helping create sustainable farms, today we're proud to share some stories of its success.
As a global platform used by more than 125 million people, we believe we have an important responsibility to use our reach and resources to bring the values we stand for to life, while doing our part to make the world a better place for everyone. It's what drives our 'simple' Two-Step Plan(opens in a new tab or window): 1) to become one of the world's most valuable companies, and 2) to do the most good we can.
Doing our part to contribute towards a more sustainable world(opens in a new tab or window) is a huge part of Step Two and living our value to Be a Force for Good(opens in a new tab or window), so in 2021 we launched Canva's One Print, One Tree(opens in a new tab or window) program, with a mission to support environmental recuperation by planting a tree for every print(opens in a new tab or window) order placed by our community.
Now, almost two years since launching, we've planted over 4 million trees, and today, we're excited to share more about the progress we've made and some stories from the people and communities who've been involved across the world.
A planting volunteer and Forest Guard in Mt Sinaka, the Philippines
Making an impact
The trees that have been planted through the program include 200 different species across 22 individual sites, with more than 4,500 hectares of land planned for restoration – an area larger than Noosa National Park here in Australia.
By partnering with local reforestation groups around the world, the program has provided employment opportunities for more than 170 people, reaching hundreds of farmers and thousands of beneficiaries. We recognize the health of a landscape is directly connected to the health of the people who live within it, and we're proud that our One Print, One Tree investments have played a role in improving the environments of these communities.
One example of the many reforestation projects we've undertaken through the program has been in the Philippines, where we've planted over 230,000 trees across the country since launch. Each project has been designed to achieve a range of goals, from protecting critically endangered species to shielding communities against the adverse impacts of deforestation.
On Palaui Island, Narra trees are planted to assist the local indigenous Agta population to produce wild Narra honey, while the Bitatog tree is also planted along the coastal shorelines to help protect communities' houses during storms.
Palaui locals planting trees for future income generation
Through our partnership with the Mabuwaya Foundation, tree planting in Baggao in the Cagayan Province is aimed at conservation in areas under threat of species loss. Local communities also plant native trees such as Narra and White Lauan, and fruit trees including cacao and avocado for eventual resale and income generation.
In the regions of Monkayo and Mt. Sinaka, tree planting not only protects the environment itself, but also habitats essential to the survival of local wildlife and endangered species. An example of this is the rare Philippine Eagle, the country's national bird which is embedded into the culture, history, and artefacts of the local indigenous populations.
Planters and Forests Guards in Mt. Sinaka work to protect their communities from landslides and provide critical habitat for the Philippine Eagle in a known nesting site
One Print, One Tree is poised to plant millions more trees in the Philippines, spanning thousands of hectares of degraded land to further support local communities and protect local ecosystems.
Another country key to our One Print, One Tree investment has been Tanzania, where we've planted more than 500,000 trees since launch.
Our on-the-ground efforts in the central Tanzanian town of Iringa, led by partners Trees for the Future (TREES) in collaboration with the Clinton Development Initiative, have been designed to train farmers with tree planting skills that follow a regenerative agriculture model known as 'Forest Garden', paired with a community agribusiness practice.
This helps farmers navigate methods of sustainable income earning as well as ensuring their environment is farmed as sustainably as possible.
Farmers are trained under a four-year program that includes education on the benefits of regenerative agriculture; planting trees that protect the perimeter of vulnerable farm fields; creating diverse crops such as avocados, bananas, papaya, mango, beans, tomatoes, and more; and how to produce maximum yields in a sustainable way.
This provides both income and increased nutrition – and sets an example for neighbouring farmers, which is ultimately what will drive the most benefits socially, economically and environmentally.
48% of farmers supported were women
Watch: Canva's One Print, One Tree investments supporting communities in Iringa in partnership with TREES and the Clinton Development Initiative.
A look into the future of Canva's One Print, One Tree
These stories are only a window into the over 4 million trees that have been planted across 10 countries since Canva launched our One Print, One Tree program in 2021.
There are many more One Print, One Tree planting locations that carry a unique story of supporting local ecosystems and communities, extending all over the world, including in Madagascar, Mozambique, Haiti, Kenya, Brazil, Canada, the United States, Nepal, Peru, and Indonesia.
As we look to the future, we're excited to have even more impact with our tree planting efforts that connect to Canva's big goals around engaging with local communities, supporting nonprofits, driving education outcomes, and alleviating poverty.
Fewer locations, better
Our early One Print, One Tree efforts were geographically broad to accommodate the sheer growth of Canva Print orders, with planting spanning 22 locations. We've now learned about the increased benefits of concentrating sites, including improvements with community participation, employment, training, the rejuvenation of degraded lands, and longer-term project planning.
We've learned about the importance of community engagement, which fosters a willingness to participate and on-share learnings. We've seen patterns where community practices move away from cutting down trees, to instead protecting forests and nourishing trees that offer food security and income.
A group of farmers and technicians working to establish the Forest Garden model as a new standard practice in a rural area outside of Iringa, Tanzania.
As we look to 2023 and beyond, we're excited to continue our investments in the Philippines and across Africa, as well as in other local communities around the world – focusing on projects that intersect both social and ecological goals.
More insights for our Canva community
As we scale up our Canva Print efforts, we're looking to bring insights to our community making all of this possible – you!
With our collaboration with Reduce, Reuse, Grow, we're planning to give our Canva community the ability to understand where their trees have been planted, information on the specific tree species planted, the communities each tree is benefiting, and what impact is achieved, with accompanying photos and videos, straight from the locations themselves.
We're excited to be on this journey with you all, and thank each of you for making our One Print, One Tree(opens in a new tab or window) journey a reality.
