Users are incentivised to maintain a daily walking habit, with mangrove trees planted on their behalf when they complete the Treekly Challenge of just 5,000 steps, five days a week.
The app automatically counts users’ steps recorded by their smartphone, Fitbit or Apple Watch, and displays each tree in a personalised digital forest.
Treekly has partnered with Eden Reforestation Projects to plant native mangrove trees in North Madagascar. Eden has to date planted over 700 million trees, focussing on rebuilding natural landscapes destroyed by deforestation and lifting impoverished communities out of extreme poverty.
Keith Mortimer – Co-founder of Treekly
Co-founders Jon Bunning and Keith Mortimer, both Rotarians from Norwich, met with district governors across Great Britain and Ireland last month to finalise proposals for Rotary to use a customised version of Treekly, in alignment with the seventh area of focus, the environment.
The app includes a bespoke Rotary Community League where Rotarians represent their club in some healthy competition, based on the average daily steps within the club, and total trees tally.
Jon Bunning – Co-founder of Treekly
Participants initially receive 60 trees each to offset the average UK adult carbon emissions for three months and have the option of using the app for free or upgrading to Treekly Plus which plants a tree every day they achieve 5,000 steps.
For those less active but still wanting to play their part and add to their club’s total, a 12-month Tree Pack is available at a discounted rate.
“Amid all the stark messages about climate change, Treekly is about giving people an opportunity to do something,” explained Jon Bunning.
“Any anxiety you might have about the future is lessened if you feel you can do something.
Amid all the stark messages about climate change, Treekly is about giving people an opportunity to do something.”
“So, this is why we came up with the app, to encourage communities like Rotary to create a sustainable walking habit, which makes them feel better and where they are turning their footsteps into forests.”
Peter Bradley, club president of Edgware and Stanmore Rotary in North London, has already planted more than 100 trees. “I joined in August, and our group has already planted more than 250 trees,” he said.
I have always had an interest in the environment, and to me I am really pleased to be doing my bit to reduce my carbon footprint.”
“I have always had an interest in the environment, and to me, I am pleased to be doing my bit to reduce my carbon footprint.
“I am planning a virtual Land’s End to John O’Groats walk linking with the Treekly app.”
David Ellis, Chair of the Rotary GB&I Executive, heard Jon and Keith speak at the Rotary in London District conference in Eastbourne in October and is actively helping to promote the initiative, spearheaded by Tony Sharma, Past District Governor of District 1130 (Rotary in London).
Together they have set an initial target of two million trees being planted by the end of 2022 across the Rotary GB&I community, with plans in place to extend the initiative to other regions within Rotary International.
For more information, visit www.treekly.org/rotary-gbi
Scan the QR code to plant your first tree for free.
