What is the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration?
The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030) is a global movement calling on governments, businesses, communities and individuals to restore the world's degraded and destroyed ecosystems. It is one of the most ambitious environmental programmes ever launched, covering forests, farmlands, wetlands, oceans and urban spaces.
Actors are organisations that have made a formal, verified commitment to contribute to ecosystem restoration. Being accepted as an Actor is not a badge — it is a responsibility, and one we take seriously.
What does this mean for GiftTrees?
GiftTrees works by connecting restaurants and their diners to agroforestry projects that restore degraded land, create food security, and lift farming families out of extreme poverty. Every tree funded through a restaurant bill directly contributes to restoring ecosystems that communities depend on.
Becoming a UN Decade Actor formally aligns our work with the world's most recognised framework for ecosystem restoration. It also connects us to a growing global network of organisations, governments and experts all working toward the same goal.
In short: it is independent, international validation that what we do is real, measurable and meaningful.
What have we achieved so far?
The numbers speak for themselves. Over 5 million trees have been planted through GiftTrees so far, with more than 15 million diners contributing through their restaurant visits. In the last year alone:
- We funded the restoration of more than 54 km² of degraded inland and coastal habitat
- We supported over 90 rural communities and 400 households
- We worked with 7 schools and dedicated 10% of all contributions to education
- We helped create habitat with the capacity to support over 700 species of animals and birds
This is ecosystem restoration in practice! We are rebuilding of entire living systems that support people and wildlife alike.
Joining #GenerationRestoration
As part of the UN Decade partner network, GiftTrees is now part of the global #GenerationRestoration movement. This is a worldwide community of people and organisations who believe that restoring nature is essential.
If you are a restaurant partner, a diner, or a business working with GiftTrees, you are part of this movement too. Every meal, every bill, every tree is a contribution to something that now carries the backing of the United Nations.
What happens next?
We will be sharing more about our work under the UN Decade framework over the coming months, including project updates, community stories, and milestones as we continue toward our mission of planting 1 billion trees.
If your restaurant is not yet a GiftTrees partner, there has never been a better time to get involved. No cost, no downtime — just a simple switch that connects every dining experience to something that genuinely matters.
*GiftTrees is an Actor for the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, recognised by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Hashtags: #GenerationRestoration #UNEP #FAO*